The Orissa High Court has expressed serious concern over the State government inviting applications from only retired teachers for post of "Guest Teachers" in aided high schools for 2021-22. Justice Biswanath Rath on Wednesday allowed the recruitment process to continue but imposed restriction on any appointment without informing the Court, saying, "The issue here greatly involves survival of laws at one end and have-nots at the other hand".
Iswar Guru and four others had filed a petition seeking the Court's intervention against the recruitment of retired teachers only. The recruitment is clearly an attempt to deprive of thousands of unemployed qualified youths expecting for appointment and thereby some earning at least for their maintenance of livelihood, the petitioners alleged. While issuing notice to the State government Justice Rath said, "Considering the nature of allegation to be serious one and as the matter involves livelihood of unemployed youth for the action of the authorities to accommodate the persons who are already having something in their pocket, this Court is inclined to issue notice in this matter".
The Court said the allegation relates to going for appointment to accommodate the retired teachers as guest teachers who have already served their entire service career and are in a position to maintain their family in clear discrimination to the aspiration of thousands educated unemployed youths. "This Court finds, by way of such action the authorities are going to deprive a large number of unemployed youths who are waiting over years for some financial assistance, may be by way of schematic appointments", Justice Rath observed, while posting the matter to August 9.
The Court expected responses by then from the Secretary of school and mass education department and Director of Secondary Education. The state government had fixed 65 years as upper age limit of retired teachers to be considered for appointment as "Guest Teachers" with a monthly payment of Rs 10,000 in addition to pension and other benefits. The government had claimed that the decision was taken because of the lengthy appointment process, pending court cases and unavailability of teachers belonging to SC and ST categories. The retired teachers will be recruited till the vacancies are filled up through regular appointments.
