10% of primary school vacancies were earmarked for para teachers, sr counsel tells HC
Times of India | 8 July 2025
Kolkata: Senior counsel Jayanta Mitra, representing para teachers who received appointments under the primary teacher recruitment procedure in 2016, submitted before Calcutta high court on Monday that Justice Abhijit Ganguly was not informed of the amended recruitment rules for this category and instead passed a blanket order annulling all appointments.
Speaking before a division bench of justices Tapabrata Chakraborty and Reetobroto Mitra, the counsel said the state, by way of a notification, had earmarked 10% of vacancies in state-run primary schools for para teachers. In their case, the aptitude test for the remaining candidates was replaced by teaching experience.
Mitra argued that the variation of marks due to aptitude tests didn't apply to candidates from the para teacher category because there was a clear breakdown of marks given for years of experience. "No averments were made against this category. There was no prayer from this category either. Yet, candidates from this category have been thrown into uncertainty and are subsisting on the stay order of the division bench," he said.
Senior counsel Subir Sanyal submitted a three-page note on the plight of candidates from the para teacher category.
Justice Chakraborty wanted to ascertain whether candidates under the category recruited in primary schools came under the purview of Justice Ganguly's order. He pointed to paragraph 21 of Justice Ganguly's May 12, 2023 order, in which the judge directed fresh examinations for candidates, including interview and aptitude tests, when aptitude tests were not applicable for candidates under the para teacher category.
The division bench fixed the next hearing of the matter on July 14.