Bihar cabinet on Monday approved the new teachers’ recruitment rules, clearing the decks for the long-pending recruitment of teachers in the state.
Under the new rules, the appointments would be made through a centralised process, unlike before when appointments were made through panchayatI raj institutions, leading to much controversy.
Under the new rules, the appointment of teachers will be through a commission, which will be appointed in due course, officials familiar with the matter said. It will receive roaster wise vacancy position by August 1 of each year.
Prior to 2005, Bihar carried out appointment of school teachers through Vidhyalay Seva Board. Now, the teachers will have separate district cadre and will be equivalent to the state government employees. In the higher secondary schools, there will be subject-wide cadres. There will be direct appointment on all posts of teachers in schools on two-year probation, which can be extended for another year in case of unsatisfactory performance.
The rules state that all those having qualified teachers’ eligibility tests organised by the Centre and the state and conforming to provisions laid down by the National Council for Teachers’ education (NCTE) and Rehabilitation Council of India (for teachers in special schools) would be eligible for appointment as teachers. Those appointed prior to 2012 and cleared Teachers Competency Test will, however, be exempted from TET criteria.
In the 2022-23 Budget, the Bihar government had announced to appoint 48,762 primary teachers, 5,886 physical education trainers, 44,193 teachers in secondary schools, 89,734 teachers in higher secondary schools and 7,360 computer teachers. However, the teacher aspirants have been agitating over delay in cabinet nod to new rules and advertisement of vacancies.
Earlier, chief minister Nitish Kumar had announced at Shiksha Diwas function in Patna that further recruitment of teachers would be made for schools, the modalities for which were being worked out, and the salary hike for teachers would also be ensured.
The cabinet nod means that the government could now advertise posts for recruitment of teachers in primary, secondary and higher secondary schools ahead of crucial parliamentary polls next year.