Chhattisgarh HC Bars B.Ed Degree Holders From Teaching In Primary Schools, Orders Revision Of Recruitment List

After Bihar, teachers having a B.Ed degree will not be eligible for primary school (from class 1 to 5) teaching jobs in another state. As a big relief to the Diploma in Elementary Education (D.El.Ed.) candidates, the Chhattisgarh High Court announced a verdict disqualifying the recruitment of BE.d candidates. The court ordered the state government to revise the selected candidate’s list within six weeks. The court also mentioned that only D.El.Ed holders will be recruited for the primary schools based on merit. The court passed the verdict on multiple petitions highlighting the irregularities that took place in the recruitment process.

The verdict was passed by the division bench of Chief Justice Ramesh Kumar Sinha of the Chhattisgarh High Court on a petition filed by D.El.Ed aspirants. In the petition, the D.El.Ed candidates challenged the inclusion of B.Ed degree holders in primary school teacher recruitment and also highlighted the breach in the recruitment process. The petition also read that D.El.Ed course candidates are given special training to teach primary school children. Adding to it, the petitioners also argued that the state government of Chattisgarh has also violated the Supreme Court’s decision in the recruitment process.

The recruitment of the primary school teaching staff was announced for around 6500 assistant teacher positions in Chattisgarh on May 4, 2023. The examination was held on June 10, 2023, which allowed both B.Ed and D.El.Ed qualified candidates to sit for the interview. The petition was filed after the school education department of Chhattisgarh allegedly overlooked the specialised training that is provided to the D.El.Ed candidates for elementary education. The move by the Primary Education Department of Chhattisgarh sparked the violation of the Rights of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act and the National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) rules. The petitioners argued in the court that the recruitment and appointment of the B.Ed candidates as assistant teachers should be declared illegal.

After hearing the case the Chhattisgarh High Court restricted the counselling of the B.Ed candidates. The candidates then challenged the High Court’s verdict in the Supreme Court. On which the Supreme Court stayed the High Court’s decision, ordering interim appointment to the B.Ed teachers. After it was last heard on 29th February, the High Court had reserved the decision for the case.