Following the validity granted to the D.El.Ed (open distance learning) programme through the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) by the National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) in keeping with the Patna High Court order, Bihar government has issued directive to give such candidates a chance to apply for the post of primary teachers.
The department of education on Monday issued a notification to this effect. The candidates having successfully completed the 18-month D.El.Ed programme and cleared teachers’ eligibity test (TET) or central teachers’ eligibity test (CTET) can now apply from June 15 to July 14, 2020.
The first merit list will be published by July 23 and the recruitment process completed by August 31 upon verification of documents.
Bihar government had last year in August issued advertisement for the recruitment of 94000 elementary teachers in the state and the process had reached an advance stage, but the primary education directorate letter denying eligibility to candidates having 18-month D.El.Ed programme citing NCTE norms was challenged in the HC.
In 2019, the NCTE had stated that the 18-month D.El.Ed) course from NIOS was meant only for the in-service teachers and it could not be extended for future appointments in keeping with its regulations that mandate two-year course.
In light of the NCTE stand, the directorate had clearly stated “that certificates of the teachers/candidates working in government/ govt-aided / private unaided schools, who have completed D.El.Ed. training through NIOS during their service, will not be valid/ considered for selection of primary teachers in the government of Bihar”.
In January, the HC bench of Justice Prabhat Kumar Jha, however, ruled in favour of the candidates, setting aside the directorate’s letter in January this year, terming it “illegal, unsustainable and violative of Article 14 of the Constitution”.
“The NCTE recognized one-time the course in D.El.Ed. conducted by NIOS. The relaxation of some period was only granted to the in-service teachers who had not obtained the required degree training course such as B.Ed./D.El.Ed. which is made minimum requisite qualification for appointment on the post of teachers in elementary and primary schools, but it is nowhere mentioned that the said course cannot be treated at par with the two years training course,” the court had observed.
It directed the state government to give the petitioners one-month time to apply. Later, additional chief secretary, department of education, RK Mahajan wrote to the NCTE for its response. NCTE replied that it would abide by the HC order.
Nearly three-lakh teachers were enrolled with the abridged 18-month DLEd programme of NIOS. It is not known as to how many of them also possess TET/CTET qualification.
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