LUCKNOW: In an important directive, Allahabad High Court asked the state government to apprise it as to why Urdu as language was not included in the forthcoming examination for the recruitment of 65,500 assistant teachers to be held on March 12, 2018, in the state.
Hearing a writ petition filed by one Mohammad Muntasim and keeping in view the urgency of the matter, the bench comprising Justice Ajay Bhanot directed the state government’s counsel to provide necessary information in this regard by March 7, 2018.
Appearing on behalf of the petitioner, his counsel said that Muntasim had completed his Basic Teachers’ Training (BTC) course in 2014. His optional papers were Urdu and Sanskrit and the petitioner opted for Urdu language paper and cleared BTC course.
Thereafter, in the Teachers Eligibility Test (TET), there were three optional papers namely English, Sanskrit and Urdu. Hence, the petitioner again opted Urdu language in TET examination and was able to clear it also.
The TET must be cleared by a candidate to become eligible to apply for the post of assistant teachers in the state. Subsequently, the state government on January 9, 2018 issued a notification declaring examination for the recruitment of 65,500 assistant teachers in the state.
However, petitioner was taken aback after finding that for the language paper of 40 marks, there was the provision of only three languages namely Sanskrit, Hindi and English. Urdu language was not included as an option. So he resorted to going to the High Court, seeking its for intervention in the issue.
In the writ petition, the petitioner has assailed the said notification dated January 9, 2018, saying that the petitioner throughout his academic and training courses had the option of studying the Urdu language and he opted for it conforming to the set rules.
Hence given the present situation, the notification dated January 9, 2018 stands out to be arbitrary and a violation of the petitioner’s right to equality as guaranteed under Article 14 of the Constitution of India.
During the course of the hearing, the petitioner’s counsel contended that the exclusion of Urdu language was discriminatory and the notification illegal.
The petitioner thus requested the court to either direct the state government to include Urdu in language paper of the recruitment of assistant teachers or direct cancellation of the said examination notification.