CAT junks proposed promotion list of trained graduate teachers

The Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT), Chandigarh Bench, has quashed the proposed promotion list of Trained Graduate Teachers (TGTs) dated February 4, 2020, issued by the Office of District Education Officer (DEO) here.

The Bench has passed the order on an application filed by Mukesh Jakhar, a teacher (TGT, maths) of a government school. She alleged that the list contained the names of a few teachers who do not have pedagogical training, i.e. BEd in Commerce, while excluding her name despite being eligible as per rules and NCTE norms.

The tribunal has directed the Director, School Education (DSE), to redraft the proposed promotion list by restricting it to incorporating the names of only those teachers who have Master’s degree in Commerce with BEd in Commerce, which provides pedagogical skill to teach commerce to secondary classes. Also, the applicant’s name be included considering her case for grant of promotion in the commerce stream against vacancies of PGT commerce/lecturer.

The entire exercise has to be carried out within eight weeks from the date of receipt of a copy of this order.

The application has been filed by the teacher under Section 19 of the Administrative Tribunal Act 1985 through advocate Rohit Seth, seeking the quashing of proposed promotion list.

She said she had done BCom, MCom and completed BEd in Commerce.

She became eligible for promotion as Post Graduate Teacher (PGT) of Commerce on January 2, 2020. But her name was removed from the proposed promotion list for reasons best known to the respondents. However, teaches, who do have Master’s degree in commerce but have no skill/pedagogical training, have been retained on the list in violation of qualification norms prescribed for promotion to the post of PGT of Commence or Lecturer of Commerce.

After hearing the arguments, the tribunal quashed and set aside the proposed promotion list in as much as it contains the names of private respondents who do not have skill/pedagogical training, i.e. BEd in Commerce, while excluding her name despite being eligible as per rules and NCTE norms.

The Tribunal has directed the respondents to redraft the proposed promotion list by restricting it to incorporating the names of only those individuals who have Masters degree in Commerce with BEd (Commerce), which is provides pedagogical skill to teach commerce to secondary classes. Also, the applicant’s case be considered for grant of promotion in the commerce stream against one of the seven vacancies of PGT commerce/lecturer. The tribunal has also stated that the entire exercise is to be carried out within eight weeks from the date of receipt of a certified copy of this order.

Chandigarh