People qualified for the secondary grade teachers post through the Teachers Eligibility Test demanded to increase the number of postings of appointment.
Submitting a petition to Madurai district Collector M.S. Sangeetha on Monday to consider their request, P. Arun Kumar, said he was one of the candidates who cleared the examination in 2013.
Following that, eligibility examination for secondary grade teachers was conducted in 2017, 2019 and 2022, he added.
“All of the eligible candidates who cleared the eligibility examination were not given any further notification on their postings. Only this year, following an announcement for the appointment examination on July 21, they wrote the examination,” he added.
We learned through the announcement that the State government would be filling only 2,768 vacant secondary grade teachers’ positions in government schools, while it was apparent that more than 5,700 positions were vacant, he noted.
Though about 40,000 candidates cleared the eligibility examination, not all were able to appear for the appointment examination conducted this year due to their family and financial situations, Mr. Arunkumar said.
“Even after clearing the examination for the government teachers’ position, we have been waiting for the appointment for more than 10 years. Many are getting a mere salary of Rs.10,000 by teaching in private schools,” he said.
Not just this, the 1:30 teacher students ratio according to the Right to Education Act, 2009, could be accomplished only if the vacancies were filled, he added.
