The Maharashtra Education Department has decided to cancel the contractual appointments of teachers working in schools with fewer than 10 students, following the launch of the second phase of teacher recruitment on 21 January.
This phase of recruitment, which had been delayed due to last year’s state assembly elections, aims to fill vacancies with qualified, permanent teachers.
The government had initially introduced contractual appointments as a temporary measure to ensure students’ education was not disrupted while regular recruitment was pending. In September last year, the state had planned to appoint contractual teachers in schools with 20 or fewer students. However, after facing strong opposition, the policy was revised to apply only to schools with 10 or fewer students. Officials clarified that the intention behind these temporary appointments was to address immediate staffing shortages until a more permanent solution could be implemented.
With the recruitment process now in motion, the government has reassessed the need for contractual teachers. A government resolution (GR) issued on the matter states that with the availability of eligible candidates through the 2022 Teacher Eligibility and Aptitude Test, regular teacher appointments will soon be completed.
As a result, contractual teachers currently in service will be allowed to continue only until their contract expires or until a permanent teacher is appointed to their position, whichever happens first. The GR also specifies that no further reappointments will be granted beyond this period.
