THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The government's decision to create High School Teacher (HST) English posts on a daily- wages or contract basis in 639 schools across the state has dashed the hopes of around 1,400 candidates in the PSC rank list for the HST-English post who were awaiting appointment.
At present, teachers qualified in other subjects are handling English classes in the 600-plus schools because there are less than five divisions in the high school section. In 2021, the High Court had directed the creation of English teacher posts in high schools based on a number of periods and not based on the number of divisions.
However, the government had been delaying its implementation for over two years. “Interestingly, the order creating the temporary posts was hurriedly issued a couple of weeks before the High Court was to take up a contempt case filed against the government for non-implementation of its 2021 order to create the required posts,” said a candidate figuring in the rank list on condition of anonymity.
The HST-English aspirants have pointed out before the HC that the daily appointment of teachers is a long-drawn process that is usually carried out in schools only by the middle of an academic year. Besides, it would also question the very relevance of recruiting permanent teachers to the post through PSC.
Meanwhile, the government is hopeful of evading contempt proceedings as the HC had only directed the creation of posts and had not stipulated whether it should be temporary or permanent. “Only after special rules are framed regarding the integration of higher secondary and high school sections can the government take a final decision on staff fixation and the permanent posts to be created,” said a senior official.