MP: Jabalpur High Court Dismisses Petitions by Diploma Holders, Upholds Appointment of B.Ed. Candidates as Primary School Teachers

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Principal bench of Madhya Pradesh high court in Jabalpur dismissed petitions of candidates holding Diploma in Elementary Education (Dip El. Ed) challenging the appointment of B.Ed. candidates on the post of primary school teachers. The division bench of Justice Sheel Nagu and Justice Amarnath Kesarvani passed the order on Friday.

The candidates had challenged the appointment of B.Ed. candidates citing the order of the Supreme Court dated August 11, 2023 in Devesh Sharma Vs. UoI which held that B.Ed. candidates do not qualify for primary school teachers. Advocate Narinderpal Singh Ruprah who opposed the petition said, “The order of Supreme Court is prospective and that they have already been appointed in March, 2023 many months before the Supreme Court judgment.”

The High Court observed that the interim order was granted in petition of Kesrinandan that the appointment is subject to final decision of the case and both the petitioners of that petition had been appointed on the post of Primary School Teacher (and hence their locus was not made out). In the High Court the apprehension of the petitioners (Diploma holders) that their seniority as Primary School Teachers may be adversely affected by higher merit ranking obtained by B.Ed. qualified appointees were rejected by the High Court.

The judgment of the High Court has come as a big relief to B.Ed. candidates who have been appointed to the post of Primary School Teachers much before the judgment dated August  11, 2023 passed by the Supreme  Court holding (with prospective effect) that B.Ed.  are not qualified to be appointed as Primary School Teachers, Advocate Rupraha added.