Maharashtra
Paltry pay petition
Jalna, november 11. The Aurangabad bench of the Bombay high court stayed a termination order served by management on seven teachers of MS English School, Jalna and directed the management to deposit outstanding salaries until November 2023 in the court.
The teachers were among 42 educators who filed a writ petition over the paltry and irregular salaries paid to them leading to termination of their service. The teachers, with teaching records ranging from six to 26 years, claimed that their service had been terminated by the school without any prior notice. In their petition filed in court, they also alleged that they were classified as temporary teachers and paid salaries of Rs.12,000-30,000 per month — way below Seventh Pay Commission salaries prescribed for government school teachers.
Expressing concern over the situation, the bench said, “If teachers have been working between six to 26 years, as is the contention of the petitioners, it is incorrect to say they are temporaries. A trained graduate has to be regularised after completion of the probation period.”
Haryana
Police rebuked
Chandigarh, november 3. Renu Bhatia, chairperson of the Haryana State Commission for Women, criticised the police for failure to act promptly on the complaints of over 50 students of a government school in Jind district who accused their 55-year-old principal of sexual harassment. The complaints were forwarded to the police on September 14 but action was taken only on October 30, she said.
The Haryana police booked the school principal 48 days after he was suspended by the Jind district administration over allegations of sexual harassment. The Jind police has formed teams to arrest the accused but the principal has evaded arrest, said a police spokesperson.
Himachal Pradesh
Pre-primary ed boost
Hamirpur, november 18. The state government has resolved to construct buildings for 49 anganwadi (pre-primary) centres — currently being run in private buildings — in Hamirpur district at an estimated cost of Rs.5.88 crore, said Hemraj Bairwa, the district’s deputy commissioner.
“The state government is taking positive steps to ensure proper nutrition and preschool education of children in the 3-6 age group. Efforts are being made to provide best facilities in anganwadi centres and to construct dedicated buildings for such facilities,” said Bairwa, addressing a press conference.
Added Balveer Singh Birla, District Programme Officer, Women and Child Development ministry: “These buildings will be constructed under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) programme. A total of Rs.12 lakh will be spent on each building.”
Provision for the anganwadi buildings will be made under MGNREGA — Rs.8 lakh and Rs.2 lakh from the 15th Finance Commission funding to the state, and Rs.2 lakh will be contributed by the Women and Child Development ministry.
Tripura
TIT-Providence MoU
Agartala, november 5. Chief Minister Manik Saha cleared a proposal of the public sector Tripura Institute of Technology (TIT, estb.1958) to sign a partnership agreement with the Taiwan-based Providence University.
Addressing the media, the chief minister said: “The Memorandum of Understanding will enable TIT students to study various short-term courses and undertake joint research, publications, and academic seminars offered by Providence University. Selected faculty members will also participate in academic programmes of Providence University.”
Sikkim
Best schools awards
Gangtok, november 6. Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang announced cash awards for high performance private schools from the next academic year. The best school will receive a cash prize of Rs.20 lakh, while the second and third schools will receive Rs.15 and Rs.10 lakh respectively.
Addressing a function near the state capital, the chief minister said: “This initiative is aimed at recognising excellence and raising standards of education in the state.” The awardee schools will be obliged to utilise 25 percent of the prize money for welfare of their teachers, he added.
Bihar
Disciplinary action warning
Patna, november 12. The state government has warned of strict disciplinary action including cancellation of appointment of newly recruited teachers if they promote or become members of any ‘association’ or organise any form of protest against the policies of the education ministry.
“Newly recruited teachers have not been allotted postings nor have they started teaching in schools. But it has come to the notice of government that some of them have formed an association or become part of it and are criticising the state’s education policies. This is a grave misconduct under the Bihar Government Employees Conduct Rules-1976…,” says a government circular.
Paromita Sengupta with bureau inputs
