Day before hearing, distance learning teachers meet Education Minister

Aparna Banerji 

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, July 25 

With the Education Department stalling the promotions of as many as 700 teachers made earlier this month, due to stay on the promotions of the Open Distance Learning (ODL) teachers, with the next hearing of the case in the Punjab and Haryana High Court tomorrow, the ODL teachers today met Education Minister Daljit Singh Cheema on the issue. 

In all 2,200 promotions had been made in the state, but the ODL teachers had been left out of these. 

As many as 250 to 300 teachers with post graduation degrees through open distance learning in universities outside Punjab (in all there are about 1,000 in the state) had filed a writ (at various stages) in the HC on being denied promotions despite deserving them. On the basis of the writ, promotions across the state had been stalled after the HC decision to stay them. 

While the education department and the government had been put in spot following the decision, ironically the promoted master cadre teachers stay put at the new schools (on their previous designations of masters) rather than lecturers as which they were promoted.

As a consequence of the fiasco, the education minister also sought a meeting with the members of the Open Distance Learning Teachers Front. A five member delegation of the teachers met the Education Minister today on the issue. However, with a hearing impending on the matter in the HC tomorrow, teachers stay tight lipped over the whole matter.

The prime concerns raised by the teachers have been - that despite no UGC guidelines questioning distance learning teachers' eligibility or caliber the issue why they were left out of promotions, they also raised the issue that promotions letters of the recently promoted teachers needed to be signed by an IAS officer as per guidelines, their final grouse has been against alleged anomalies in teachers' promotions.

The state government had also sought a UGC take following the issue being raised. 

While as many as 250 to 300 teachers who had done post graduate courses through distance learning had filed the writ, the outcome of tomorrow's hearing will have major implications of the future of these teaches and the promotion other teachers. Sources said, "While the education minister himself has been non-commital and the flaws on promotion procedures are usually blamed at second or third-rug officials, we shall only hope the government takes note of our plight and our eligibility and hard-earned role in the education department is upheld."