No voluntary teachers regularisation without SSC exam

The state's education department has informed that regularisation of voluntary teachers in the GTA area cannot be entertained unless they pass the School Service Commission examination.

There are more than 500 voluntary teachers at 120-odd secondary schools in the Darjeeling hills. The SSC (hills), which essentially is to cover the present GTA area, has been defunct since 2003 and that is why schools had to appoint voluntary teachers.

The Janmukti Insecure Secondary Teachers' Organisation (JISTO), which is affiliated to the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha, has been demanding the regularisation of the voluntary teachers' jobs.

A letter dated May 20, 2016, and bearing memo number: 669-SE(S)/4A-18/15 (Pt -1) written by "joint secretary" of the school education department (secondary branch) on the issue of "regularization of volunteer teachers under GTA" clearly states that "on the subject stated above the undersigned is directed to say that regularization /absorption/ appointment of volunteer teachers in GTA cannot be entertained until they secure their candidature through the West Bengal School Service Commission".

The letter has been sent to the commissioner, home and hill affairs department.

The school education department, quoting a Supreme Court order, said no appointment could be regularised without a proper selection process.

The education department has asked the home and hill affairs department to advise them on the matter.

The letter was today shown to the media by Roshan Giri, executive GTA Sabha member in charge of education.

"In the hills, the SSC has been defunct since 2003, long before the GTA came into existence, and we demand that the state government come up with a one-time solution," said Giri.

Amit Gurung, co-ordinator, JISTO, blamed the GTA for failing to solve the impasse and its members have threatened to dissolve the body if there is no fruitful outcome within 20 days.

"The GTA has the power to recruit Group B, C and D employees. If the state government is not allowing it to exercise its functions, what is stopping it from approaching court?" Gurung asked today.

"If there is no fruitful outcome on our demand within 20 days, we will dissolve JISTO, close schools and start a Calcutta chalo abhiyan," said Gurung. (TT)