HC notice to state over ETT teachers’ selections

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 26

The Punjab and Haryana High Court today put the State of Punjab on notice on a petition challenging the selection process of 2005 ETT teachers. The High Court also made it clear that the selection to the posts would be subject to the outcome of the writ petition.

In their petition against the State of Punjab and other respondents, Gurwinder Singh through his counsel Gagneshwar Walia challenged the government’s action of ousting the ETT teachers, who had passed PSTET-II, from the selection process. Walia contended that the action was “illegal” and teachers who had passed TET-II should also be considered eligible for appointment.

Referring to the Right to Education Act, he argued that elementary teachers were for Classes I to VIII. Teachers, who had passed ETT along with PSTET-I and II, were the only ones eligible for teaching these classes.

As such, the candidature of aspirants having cleared the PSTET-II could not be excluded in view of the RTE Act. After hearing arguments, Justice Jaswant Singh issued a notice to the state government.