Kerala PSC notification leads to confusion among higher secondary school teachers

A gazette notification by the Kerala Public Service Commission (PSC) calling for applications to the post of junior teachers in government higher secondary schools has led to confusion among jobseekers as well as those holding the post now.

The notification issued on December 31 was for Economics teachers. A note under the ‘Name of post’ said that “Higher Secondary School Teacher (Junior) means part-time post of HSST teacher”.

Higher secondary school teachers pointed out that the post of junior teacher was a full-time job at present, with all the statutory benefits. There has been a demand by various teachers’ unions to elevate junior teachers as senior teachers once they complete five years of service. An expert panel appointed during the United Democratic Front government term of 2011-16 had recommended that junior teachers with eight years of service could be considered for promotion. But the proposal is yet to be implemented.

At a time when the State government was going ahead with follow-up steps after merging the directorates of education for high schools and higher secondary schools, the PSC’s move would have far-reaching consequences, the teachers claimed.

K.K. Sreejesh Kumar, general secretary of the Kerala Aided Higher Secondary School Teachers Association, said on Tuesday that there were apprehensions if there were plans to abandon the post of junior teacher altogether. As the New Education Policy of the Union government envisages Classes 9 to 12 as one block, there could be a drop in the number of posts of teachers in the higher secondary sector in the future. Those appointed as part-time teachers might be asked to take care of classes in the high school section also.

“It is learnt that the State government is considering special rules on the work time of teachers after the merger process recommended by the Khader panel. There is lack of clarity on this. At a recent meeting with teachers’ union representatives, though the General Education Minister said that the government was going ahead with the merger, the details were not specified,” said Mr. Kumar.

Against that backdrop, the PSC move would simultaneously affect job aspirants and junior teachers, he said. Some other teachers said that any mention in the notification could create technical problems for those appointed to the post. They are demanding that the PSC issue a clarification to clear the air.