MADURAI: Passing interim orders on a batch of 18 petitions challenging the criteria for appointing Secondary Grade Teachers (SGT) and Graduate Assistants in government and aided schools, the Madras High Court bench here has provisionally stayed appointments given to candidates who had passed the Teachers’ Eligibility Test (TET).
Justice K K Sasidharan, has ordered notices to the School Education Department and the Teachers Recruitment Board (TRB) returnable in three weeks. He also made it clear that there is no impediment for conducting the counselling for selection of teachers. The petitioners submitted that the School Education Department in a GO dated May 30 had published guidelines for selecting SGTs and Graduate Assistants. As per this, 10 marks will be given for the scores of candidates in their higher secondary exams, 15 marks for degree exams, 15 for Bachelor of Education (BEd) exams and 60 marks for the scores secured in the TET. Petitioners argued that this method would put candidates who had passed Plus Two examination, a decade ago, at a disadvantage as the syllabus were constantly changed over the years. Hence they sought to quash the GO and prayed for a stay on the appointments made till date.