SHUBHANGI SHIFA
Ranchi, April 19: Keeping in mind the shortage of teachers, the Department of School Education and Literacy, for the first time since the conception of the state of Jharkhand is set to add a new cadre of teachers to the primary and middle schools along with creating around 60 thousand new posts for teachers.
The new post to be created will be known as that of an Assistant Acharya. Rules have also been prepared for appointment to the post of Assistant Principal, the process for which has been started.
Notably, till now only two cadres including Assistant Professor (Para Teacher) and assistant teachers would work in primary and middle schools. However, now a new post has been created by the Education Department known as Assistant Acharya. The department plans to conduct direct appointments for the same.
An official of the Education Department stated that the situation of a dozen states of the country was studied before the creation of posts. She further said that the pay scale and posts of teachers in other states have also been studied.
The pay scale for the said post is said to be from Rs 5,200 to Rs 20,200 for the teachers that will be appointed to the post of Assistant Acharya. Successful candidates for the Jharkhand Teacher Eligibility Test (JTET) will be chosen in the recruitment process.
Secretary Rajesh Sharma of the Education Department said, “The appointment of Assistant Acharya in the state will be done in phases. In the first phase, preparations are being made to recruit teachers for a total of 26,000 posts. It is mandatory for the candidate to pass the matriculation and inter examination from Jharkhand to be considered for the recruitment process. This provision has been relaxed for reserved category candidates.”
Notably, a total of 64134 posts have been created in primary and middle schools in the state for teachers making the total number of posts increase to 94 thousand. Out of 64 thousand posts created beforehand, about 30 thousand posts have been added to the post of Assistant Acharya.
In all, 60,000 posts of Assistant Acharya are to be created. Along with this, there will be about 34,000 posts for assistant teachers. Meanwhile, about 61,000 assistant teachers (para teachers) are also working at present.
Assistant Acharya will be promoted to the post of Assistant Teacher after completing ten years of service. Assistant teachers will be posted in model and selected schools of the state. After promotion to the post of assistant teacher, a candidate will get a pay scale of Rs 35,400 to Rs 81,200 according to the sixth pay scale.
Secretary Sharma further said, “Around 50 percent of the posts of Assistant Acharya will be reserved for Assistant Teacher (Para Teacher). Whenever there is an appointment on the post of Assistant Acharya, then Para Teachers will be appointed on the 50 percent reserved seats.”
“Right to Education Act” has been in force in the state since 2011. According to the provision of the Right to Education Act, about 71 thousand more teachers are required in primary and middle schools in the state. This is for the first time that the posts are being created to work according to the Right to Education Act,” he added.
