New Senior Teacher Recruitment Rules: 1:3 Ratio with Teaching Assistants, No Applications if Less Than 2 Years to Retirement

The Education Department has issued specific guidelines regarding the recruitment process for senior teachers. According to these new guidelines, the ratio for senior teacher recruitment will now be 1:3 between senior teachers and teaching assistants. 

Regular teachers who have at least five years of experience in grant-in-aid schools (excluding minority institutions) under the Education Department are eligible to apply as senior teachers. This entire recruitment process will be conducted online through the portal.

One-Time Benefit for Senior Teacher Recruitment

Teachers who have less than two years left until retirement on the date of this announcement will not be eligible to apply. Additionally, teachers can avail of the benefit of recruitment as a senior teacher only once during their entire service period. 

Once appointed as a senior teacher, the teacher’s service will be considered continuous. Experience as a fixed-pay teaching assistant in grant-in-aid schools will be considered valid, and the merit list for senior teacher recruitment will be prepared based on the candidate’s educational experience.

Decision to Provide Benefits for Staying with Hometown and Family

The Education Department’s resolution for teachers in state grant-in-aid secondary and higher secondary schools included a provision for recruitment at a 1:3 ratio. During the recruitment process in 2011, senior teacher recruitment was conducted. 

The issue of whether to consider the fixed-pay period as a teacher during the 2016 recruitment was resolved. The decision has been made to offer teachers working in grant-in-aid schools away from their hometowns the benefit of staying with their hometown and family, thereby preventing disruption to their social lives.  This decision has been positively highlighted in the Education Department’s notification.

What is a Senior Teacher?

In the state’s grant-in-aid secondary and higher secondary schools, recruitment was initially handled by trusts, but since 2011, it has been managed centrally. The state government directs candidates who pass the TET-TAT exams to the relevant trust for appointments. 

Initially, local candidates were recruited, avoiding the need for relocation. However, issues arose when candidates from distant regions had to move to different districts. To address this, the concept of senior teacher recruitment was introduced.

Senior teacher recruitment means that out of 100 positions in grant-in-aid secondary and higher secondary schools, 75 will be filled based on merit, while the remaining 25 positions will be allocated to existing teachers in grant-in-aid schools. 

For example, if a candidate from Kheda is working in Kutch, they will now have the opportunity to apply for a senior teacher position in a grant-in-aid school in Kheda, provided they meet certain criteria. 

These criteria include having at least five years of service and more than two years remaining until retirement. Additionally, for positions in subjects like Mathematics and Science, the recruitment will be specific to teachers of those subjects.