Karnataka HC Allows Appointment of 13,352 Teachers, Addressing Staff Shortage in Schools

In a recent ruling, the High Court of Karnataka has given the green light to the state government to appoint 13,352 teachers for classes 6 to 8. These teachers' names were initially announced in a list on March 8, 2023. However, there are certain conditions attached to this appointment.

Selected Candidates Based on Single-Judge Bench Orders Deferred

Candidates who were selected based on the orders of a single-judge bench on January 30, 2023, will be deferred in their appointment until the Karnataka State Administrative Tribunal (KSAT) decides the fate of their challenge to the selection process. This decision ensures a fair and just evaluation of the selection process for these candidates.

Background: The Teacher Appointment Process

The process to appoint 15,000 teachers in Karnataka commenced with a notification by the Deputy Director of Public Instructions (DDPI) in February 2022. The authorities subsequently announced the provisional 1:1 list on November 18, 2022.

Issue Raised by OBC Married Female Candidates

A significant issue arose when many Other Backward Caste (OBC) married female candidates approached the single judge. They claimed they had been marked as General Merit candidates because they had provided the income and caste certificates of their fathers instead of their husbands. The state had insisted that the rules permitted only certificates of the husbands of married women candidates to be considered.

The single judge, however, had ordered that the income and caste certificates of the husbands of these candidates should be considered, creating a pivotal change in the selection criteria.

Division Bench's Verdict

The candidates who did not find themselves in the new list of 13,352 selected candidates filed appeals before the Division Bench of Chief Justice Prasanna B Varale and Justice MGS Kamal. In their judgment on Thursday, the Division Bench stated that the single-judge bench did not have the jurisdiction to hear the petitions in the first place. Nevertheless, the authorities had prepared the list based on the single-judge order.

Balancing Educational Needs and Legal Challenges

The Division Bench took into consideration the significant need for Graduate Primary School Teachers and the large number of vacancies across the state. In the interest of the students of classes 6 to 8 who have been awaiting teachers, the bench stated, "We are of the considered view that the respondent-state be permitted to proceed with appointing teachers from 13,352 selected candidates as per the list dated 08.03.2023."

However, the appointment of candidates who did not submit the required caste-cum-income certificate in the prescribed form, as mentioned in the notification and government order, is deferred until the outcome of the challenge. This ensures a fair and consistent application of the selection criteria.

The ruling by the Karnataka High Court clarifies the appointment of teachers for classes 6 to 8 in the state. It strives to balance the needs of students with the necessity for a fair and lawful selection process. As this issue unfolds, it remains vital to uphold transparency and fairness in educational appointments.