Teachers’ recruitment ‘politically motivated’ in many states, says study

NEW DELHI: A significant study on teachers in the Indian education system, carried out in nine states, shows that in most states, except Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, the process of appointment of teachers and transfer policy is highly "opaque and politically motivated".

Two positive aspects emerging from the study are reversal of policy on hiring of contract teachers and adoption of Right to Education-recommended Teacher Eligibility Tests in all nine states. The report says in several states, there is a freeze on hiring of teachers on contract and all new recruitment of elementary teachers are on regular/permanent terms.

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The study, carried out jointly by the National University for Educational Planning and Administration and World Bank in Jharkhand, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Mizoram, Odisha, Punjab, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh, has stressed on flaws in the teacher recruitment policy. "States do not have a systematic or routine process for calculating how many teachers are needed, and what their specific qualifications and characteristics should be," it says.

In a few states, the report says, "Factors underlying recruitment are closely related to political interests, making teacher recruitment resemble political strategies rather than recruitment policies." For instance, in Rajasthan, the recruitment policy changes every year whereas in Punjab there is no policy whatsoever.

The report says in some states the number of Scheduled Tribe and Scheduled Caste candidates qualifying for teaching job remains low, leading to high vacancies in the reserved category. "What is worse is that schools themselves have no role in choosing the teachers that are appointed," it says.

As for teacher transfer policies, the report says it is "rare in India". Of the states studied, it exists only in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. In Odisha and Madhya Pradesh, transfers are carried out through a series of government orders and guidelines and followed in letter and spirit. In other states like Rajasthan, the report says, "Transfers are given as rewards to politically helpful teachers."

In case of salary, all states, except Karnataka and Punjab, have adopted recommendations of the 6th Pay Commission but they have contexualized it. Though 6th Pay Commission recommendations have been accepted by Rajasthan, teachers get less salary than central government teachers. But in Punjab, which is officially following the recommendations of 5th Pay Commission of the state government, the pay scale is the highest among nine states. The report also found that in some states like Odisha and TN, teachers with same qualification and teaching same grades are paid differently because their pay depends on the type of school - primary, upper primary or secondary - in which they teach. Even salaries of contract teachers vary across these states. 



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