CHENNAI: The Madras High Court stayed the promotion counselling for headmasters of government high and higher secondary schools scheduled for July 13. Justice D Krishnakumar granted an interim stay on Friday while hearing petitions filed by headmasters Rajavelu of Erode and Arulmurugan of Salem.
The judge observed that the school education department ought to have revised the seniority of headmasters based on marks obtained in competitive examinations. As regards the eligibility criteria, he noted that the high court in its order dated April 7, 2022, categorically insisted upon a pass in Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) as minimum eligibility criteria for BT assistants/secondary grade teachers.Saying that a prima facie case has been made out for granting interim orders, the judge stayed the July 13 counselling for two weeks and ordered the respondents to file a counter-affidavit by July 11.
The petitioners contended that since they completed three years of service as headmasters in the same station, they were eligible for transfer counselling and wanted the transfer counselling be held before promotion counselling. They added that revision of seniority should be based on marks obtained in competitive examinations.