Telangana HC gives an earful to Commissioner for School Education over 2008 DSC notification

Reprimands the official for failure to comply with its orders; adjourns the matter to February 17 for further hearing

Hyderabad:  The Telangana High Court on Monday reprimanded the Commissioner for School Education for failure to comply with its orders regarding the 2008 DSC notification.

A two-judge Bench, comprising Justice Abhinand Kumar Shavili and Justice Tirumala Devi, was dealing with a batch of writ pleas pertaining to the implementation of the 2008 DSC notification issued by the then undivided Andhra Pradesh government on December 12, 2008, to fill 52,655 teaching positions, including 30,558 Secondary Grade Teacher (SGT) posts.

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The notification allowed both BEd and DEd candidates to apply for SGT positions. However, an amendment in GO 28 (January 29, 2009) reserved 30 per cent of the 30,558 SGT posts for DEd candidates, angering BEd candidates from both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.

Several BEd candidates appealed to the Administrative Tribunal, challenging the reservation of 30 per cent of the positions for DEd holders. When their grievances were not addressed, some petitioners moved to Telangana High Court in 2009.

The court had earlier directed both the Andhra Pradesh and Telangana governments to fill unfilled SGT positions with merit-based BEd candidates. On the previous occasion, AG A Sudarshan Reddy informed the court that the authorities were unable to implement the order due to the existing model code of conduct.

However, the Bench, on the same day, held that if the orders were not complied with, the authorities from the School Education Department, including the Principal Secretary, must appear before the court in person.

On Monday, the Commissioner for School Education appeared before the court and informed that they obtained the permission from Election Commission and promised that they would comply with the order within 3 days.

Expressing its dejection over the authorities, the Bench adjourned the matter to February 17 for further hearing.