Telangana: 10 undivided districts to form the base for teacher recruitment test
Hyderabad: The Hyderabad High Court on Friday declared that the Direct Recruitment for the posts of Teachers Rules, 2017, issued by the state government by considering the 31 reorganised districts as the local area for recruitment, were in violation of the Presidential Order. A division bench of Acting Chief Justice Ramesh Ranganathan and Justice G Shyam Prasad delivered the order on a petition filed by Mr G. Arun Kumar and three others challenging the rules issued by the government on October 10, 2017, which prescribed that the reorganised revenue districts be the local area and unit for study/residence for recruitment.
While pointing out that the Centre had not accorded approval for the new districts formed by the state government in accordance with Presidential Order, the bench directed the Telangana State Public Service Commission to extend the recruitment process to December 15, 2017. Mr S. Rahul Reddy, counsel for the petitioner, submitted that the government had notified the rules in violation of the Presidential Order 1975 and Article 371-D of the Constitution.
While contending that the Presidential Order was applicable to the erstwhile 10 districts, counsel urged the court to declare the rules as illegal and direct the government to recruit secondary grade teachers by considering the 10 districts as the unit. Advocate-General D. Prakash Reddy submitted that teachers' posts were district cadre posts and the Presidential Order was not applicable to the district cadre.
He contended that the number of districts was increased in accordance with the Presidential Order. Reducing the number of districts would violate the Presidential Order and increasing the number of districts will not affect local candidates.The AG explained that the recruitment notification was issued based on the order of the Supreme Court. November 30 was the last date for receiving applications and the test would be held in February.
The court directed the government to revise the rules issued in GO No 25 to continue the recruitment of secondary grade teachers by taking the erstwhile 10 districts as the local area for the purpose of study/residence and reservation, in accordance with the Presidential Order.
