Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday took a swipe at the Samajwadi Party, accusing the previous government of keeping the recruitment processes mired in "anarchy, dishonesty and corruption", as he handed appointment letters to 3,567 newly selected teachers and education personnel.

Addressing the appointment letter distribution programme organised by the Uttar Pradesh Education Service Selection Commission, Adityanath said the new recruits had a larger responsibility of preparing students who would contribute to building an "Atmanirbhar and Viksit Bharat".

The 3,567 appointees included assistant teachers, lecturers, head teachers and principals in secondary education.

"This is not merely a programme for distributing appointment letters. It is about entrusting 3,567 people with the responsibility of contributing to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's resolve for a self-reliant and developed India," he said.

Taking a dig at the SP without naming its president Akhilesh Yadav, Adityanath said the state government was providing jobs and would continue to do so, while referring to what he called the "Saifai syndicate".

"I have also told the Saifai syndicate that we are giving jobs and will continue to give them. You keep counting," he said, adding in a lighter vein that if they could not count, they could "sit with Shivpal ji", referring to senior SP leader Shivpal Yadav, who, he said, could teach them counting.

Adityanath alleged that before 2017, candidates who had not even applied for posts would sometimes receive appointment letters, while deserving candidates were denied opportunities.

The CM cited the example of a candidate who, according to him, had applied for a post in 2015-16 and was allegedly asked for Rs 8 lakh. The recruitment process subsequently became embroiled in litigation and was completed years later, he said.

The CM said his government had distributed appointment letters to 9.30 lakh youths over the last nine years and announced that another one lakh people would be given appointments over the next six months.

He also referred to infrastructure improvements in schools under "Operation Kayakalp" in basic education and "Operation Alankar" in secondary education.

Adityanath told the newly appointed teachers that their responsibility went beyond teaching the prescribed curriculum.

"If one teacher interacts with 100 students every year, your interaction will be with more than 3.5 lakh children," he said, urging the recruits to guide and mentor them.

He said the government's role was to provide infrastructure, laboratories and an environment conducive to industry, research and employment, but the students trained by teachers would determine how these facilities were used.

The CM asked the teachers to prepare students for the challenges of 2047, when the current generation of schoolchildren would be adults leading different fields.

"Your evaluation will not be based only on the examination results of the children you teach," he said, adding students should remember their teachers as those who helped shape their lives.

Adityanath urged the recruits to maintain discipline in schools while also fostering curiosity among students. He said artificial intelligence and Google could provide answers and information, but "the ability to distinguish between right and wrong" could be developed by a teacher.

He also asked teachers to protect students from negativity, acquaint them with the lives of prominent personalities and keep them updated about developments in the country and the world.

Referring to the tradition of teachers in Indian history, he cited Guru Vashishtha, Vishwamitra, Valmiki, Agastya and Sandipani, besides modern educators and institutions such as Madan Mohan Malaviya and former president APJ Abdul Kalam.

Adityanath also directed the commission and education department to ensure that the newly appointed teachers faced no difficulty in joining their posts.

He warned that anyone demanding money from a newly appointed teacher in return for joining or any other service would face strict action.

"If anyone demands any transaction from a principal, head teacher, lecturer or teacher after appointment letters have been issued, he will have to face jail," he said.

He urged the new recruits to demonstrate teamwork in schools and work towards producing better educational outcomes, saying their conduct would also influence their students.

This report was published from a wire feed. Apart from the headline, the EdexLive Desk has not edited the copy.