HC restrains Punjab from transferring 63 ETT teachers

The court was told that the offer made by the department was a futile exercise, as the rationalisation policy did not contain any criteria on the basis of which they were being declared as surplus

Chandigarh The Punjab and Haryana high court has restrained the Punjab government from posting 63 ETT teachers elsewhere, declared surplus as per a survey of the education department. The HC bench of justice AG Masih also issued notice to the Punjab government and its education department for January 10.

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As per the petitioner’s advocate, HC Arora, the 63 ETT teachers working in various primary schools were declared surplus by the education department, pursuant to the rationalisation policy of December 24, 2019. They, however, they were permitted to file objections against the decision of the department.

The court was told that the offer made by the department was a futile exercise, as the rationalisation policy did not contain any criteria on the basis of which they were being declared as surplus. They were not in a position to know the reasons for their being declared as surplus, and thus, they could not lodge any worthwhile objection against the same, Arora had told court.

The court was also informed that the policy, which is otherwise also, ill-timed, having been introduced at the fag end of academic session (as the Punjab School Education Board was going to conduct Class 5th annual examination in February this year), is bound to adversely affect the study and preparation of students. They had, thus, demanded that the decision of the government be set aside. The department had asked the petitioners to give their station choice for vacant posts of ETT teachers on or before January 9, and that their transfers could be effected immediately thereafter, the court was informed.