For the 5,500 families waiting for jobs on compassionate grounds in the Tamil Nadu school education department, the ordeal seems unending as the department has not appointed even one person under the category in the last eight years across the state.
Family members of employees who die in harness are given job opportunities under compassionate grounds by the government, but no appointment order was issued to the family members of such school education department employees after July 11, 2016, shows a Right To Information (RTI) reply received by The New Indian Express.
As per an order of the Supreme Court, government appointments on compassionate grounds should be made within six months of the staffer's death, but the department has failed to comply with this order, sources said.
M Jayapratha (34) of Tiruvarur district, a degree-holder, told The New Indian Express that her husband had worked as a record clerk at a government higher secondary school in Rajamadam, Thanjavur district.
Less than two years after their marriage, on May 24, 2020, he passed away due to health issues and she had applied for a job with the school education department on compassionate grounds the same year.
"I have been waiting for the appointment order for more than four years. Despite submitting multiple petitions to officials, MLAs (Members of Legislative Assembly) and the CM’s (Chief Minister) cell, I’ve not got any call," she said.
"Since my husband was employed for over 11 years under the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) — as opposed to the GPF scheme which has many more benefits — we received only Rs 8 lakh after his death. The amount was fully spent on paying off the debt incurred for my husband's medical expenses. To support my child and elderly parents, I have been working as a maidservant at Mannargudi for a monthly salary of `4,000. This amount is not enough to run a family. The state government must issue appointment order soon," she said.
A worker under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), Mahalakshmi (name changed) of Rajapalayam, Virudhunagar district, said that she has been waiting for the job for eight years since the death of her husband who was a government teacher.
"Every year, when we ask about appointments, officials say that work is provided only on the basis of a seniority list. Since there is no transparency regarding the list, I don't know when I will get the job," she added.
Mahalakshmi urged the department to release a district-wise seniority list so that eligible family members can at least know the status of their applications, stated the report by The New Indian Express..
Educationist Su Moorthy, expressing shock at the department's RTI response, said that it is to set an example for private firms that government jobs offer decent salaries and benefits, including retirement plans and jobs on compassionate grounds. These benefits are gradually being scrapped due to misguided government policies, he said.
When contacted, a senior department official said that 80% of department posts are being filled through recruitment and promotion, and appointing eligible persons under compassionate grounds is still being carried out.
Asked about the number of eligible people waiting for jobs, he said around 150-200 individuals may be waiting for appointment in each district for jobs under compassionate grounds.
School Education Secretary S Madumathi was not available for comments.
