SC allows UP government to fill up 69,000 posts for teachers

The Supreme Court on Wednesday allowed the Uttar Pradesh government to fill up vacancies of 69,000 assistant basic teachers in the state as per results declared by it in May.

Around 1.36 lakhs candidates had applied for the posts of Basic Teachers in UP. The candidates can now re-apply for the counselling process when the Uttar Pradesh Government releases a new notification for the counselling. The government is expected to release the notification soon for the process of counselling on its official website of ATRE. 

The board had conducted counselling for all the candidates whose name appear in the final merit list from 03 June to 06 June 2020.

The 'Uttar Pradesh Prathmik Shiksha Mitra Association' and several other individuals 'Shiksha Mitras' had challenged the UP government's order of January 7, 2019, by which the qualifying marks for the Assistant Teacher Recruitment Examination 2019 were fixed at 65 and 60 for general and reserved categories respectively.

The Supreme Court after hearing a batch of petitions challenging various orders of the high court and the government on the issue of appointment of assistant basic teachers had directed the Uttar Pradesh government not to fill up all the 69,000 posts of assistant basic teachers and instead keep 37,339 posts vacant, which are currently held by Shiksha Mitras.

Counsel for petitioners pointed out that it was not disputed by any party that 37,339 persons, who are currently working as Shiksha Mitras, have appeared for the examination of assistant basic teachers.

A Bench headed by Justice U.U. Lalit dismissed a batch of petitions including the one filed by the “Uttar Pradesh Prathmik Shiksha Mitra Association’ challenging the Allahabad High Court’s decision to uphold the cut off marks for selection of assistant basic teachers in the States.

The top court said it will be open to the state to give another chance to Shiksha Mitra to compete for selection as assistant basic teachers in the States.

The association had challenged the Uttar Pradesh government’s order of January 7, 2019, by which the qualifying marks for the Assistant Teacher Recruitment Examination 2019 were fixed at 65 and 60 for general and reserved categories respectively.