To overcome shortage of principals, Punjab Govt to change hiring norms

To overcome the shortage of principals, headmasters and block primary education officers, the Punjab Government is planning to change the recruitment rules.

The Education Department would undertake a major exercise to increase the promotion quota from existing 50 per cent to 75 per cent. In some cases, the promotion quota could go up to 80 per cent.

A policy decision would be tabled in the coming Cabinet meeting, said a senior government functionary.

To set the things straight, the government would revert the recruitment rules that were changed during the Capt Amarinder Singh-led government in 2018 — 50 per cent quota for direct appointment of principals and the remaining through promotion of headmasters/lecturers.

Earlier, the direct recruitment quota was 25 per cent, while the remaining positions were filled through promotion. The 2018 recruitment rules were challenged in the Punjab and Hayana High Court. “The prolonged litigation delayed the filling of vacancies. Now, the government has withdrawn the advertisement for direct recruitment. This has paved the way for promotions,” said the functionary.

Education Minister Harjot Bains said the recruitment rules would soon be approved to open doors for in-house promotion. He said by increasing the promotion quota for principals from 50 per cent to 75 per cent, 500 teachers would get elevated.

At present, around 40 per cent posts of principals and nearly 25 per cent posts of headmasters were lying vacant. Bains said there was no move to merge the border area cadre with the general cadre.

Vikram Dev Singh, head of the Democratic Teachers’ Front, said apart from chaining the recruitment rules, the government should do fresh hiring and incentivise posting in the border districts.