Dimapur, Aug. 14 (EMN): All Nagaland Graduate Teachers Forum (ANGTF) has reiterated its demand that the limited departmental examination (LDE) wherein 20% of AHM/JEO is to be recruited through NPSC exam should be put on hold till such time the ongoing revision of Nagaland School Education Service Rules 2017 is completed.
ANGTF in a press release stated that the forum reaffirmed its stand that the posts of AHM/JEO in the department are the promotional posts to be filled up through promotion of GTs with B.Ed on seniority, and as such these posts are not to be recruited through NPSC exam or by any other agencies other than through promotion of GTs with professional degree.
The Forum categorically stated that the posts of AHM/JEO are the hard-earned posts of GTs after serving for the last 25-30 years with dedication and sacrifices towards the welfare of the students and society.
It claimed that having crossed many hurdles and hardships in the long service journey and finally when the GTs are about to reach the milestone in their service career, the government is trying to snatch away their due share with its new policy which, ANGTF said, “cannot be tolerated.”
“The Forum emphatically expresses that the posts of AHM/JEO in the department are not the ‘prostitute posts’ to be shared with PTs, PGTs or other equivalent post holders. These posts are exclusively for the GTs and cannot be shared with anyone who comes on the way,” it stated.
It also stated that since the present exercise of LDE is a clear case of encroachment of GTs promotional avenues amounting to infringement of personal rights, all the concerned aggrieved GTs in unison are mentally prepared to fight against the policy tooth and nail till it is reviewed and restored to the original system of filling the vacancy through promotion.
ANGTF also alleged that it is unfortunate and unbecoming for the government to apply the trick of divide and rule to disintegrate the unity of the teaching community with its new policy.
“Through LDE exercise, government is now sowing the seeds of hatred and division among the teachers, creating distrust/clashes/trust deficit between the teaching fraternities. This is a very dangerous trend as far as smooth functioning of the Department towards attaining the goal of imparting quality education is concerned,” it stated.
The forum also cautioned the department concerned that if LDE is implemented in its present form without revision, it will lead to supersession where seniors who had served for 20-30 or more years would be superseded by the juniors of 10 years in service from outside the cadre.
“The Forum also urge upon the Department authority that if at all the Primary Teachers (PTs) holding graduate degree with PSTE/DEL.ED are allowed to appear the recruitment exam for the post of AHM/JEO, then first of all their posts should be converted into GTs against the regular vacancy of GT”, it demanded.
It stated that this has been necessitated because GT is the feeder post to the AHM/JEO posts in the department promotion hierarchy.
The forum argued that despite the differences in cadre, scale pay, nature of appointment, nature/level of work between PTs & GTs, if PTs who possessed graduate degree are made eligible to sit for the recruitment exam of AHM/JEO vacancies, then the same opportunity should also be given to those GTs who possessed post graduate degree with B.Ed to appear the recruitment exam for the post of vice principal by incorporating a provision in the revised department service rules.
Further, while pointing out the defective provisions/parts of the department’s service rules 2017 and seeking necessary rectifications thereon, ANGTF reaffirmed its earlier stand on clearing backlog cases of GTs promotion stagnation in the department before implementation of the new rules.
“Hence, it appeals to the competent authority to put up all its effort to clear the pending cases through promotion. Thereafter if at all necessary, the new rule may be applied for upcoming anticipated vacancies of AHM& JEO respectively,” it added.