Recruiting primary school teachers from union-based panels illegal: SC

The Supreme Court yesterday upheld a High Court verdict that declared illegal a government decision to recruit primary school teachers from union-based panels of selected candidates.

It also affirmed the HC directive asking the government to appoint 10 selected candidates as assistant teachers at primary schools in Naogaon.  

Mohammad Siddique Ullah Miah, a lawyer for the 10 candidates, said other selected candidates, who were deprived of jobs due to a government decision to recruit from union-based panels, instead of appointing from upazila-based panels, might get remedy in line with the apex court order, if they move petitions before the HC.

Deputy Attorney General Amatul Karim Swapna said the SC did not say anything about the fates of other selected candidates and the government may move a petition before the SC seeking a review of yesterday's order.

According to a circular of primary and mass education ministry in 2010, recruitment of assistant teachers to the then registered non-government primary schools was supposed to be made from upazila-based panels of selected candidates.

But as per the primary and mass education board's decision of 2012, around 14,000 candidates were appointed from union-based panels of selected candidates at different times.

Ten candidates, who were deprived of jobs due to decision, from Naogaon filed a writ petition with the HC challenging the legality of the decision and seeking its order for appointing them.

The SC yesterday dismissed the government's appeal against the HC order of June 18.