Delhi High Court Issues Notice On PIL Seeking Appointment Of Principals, VPs On Vacant Posts In Govt Schools

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday issued notice on a public interest litigation seeking appointment of Principals and Vice-Principals to the posts lying vacant in all government schools in the national capital.

A division bench of Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Subramonium Prasad sought response of the Delhi Government, Lt. Governor and State Council of Educational Research and Training, while listing the matter for hearing on July 10.

The plea has been moved by four teachers employed in government schools being run by Delhi government. It has been filed through Advocates Jyoti Taneja and Aastha Gupta.

Apart from seeking appointments to the vacant posts, the petition also seeks a direction that all government schools in Delhi must provide three basic streams namely Science, Arts and Commerce, to students in Class XI and XII.

A direction is also sought for constituting a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to monitor and enquire into the issues related to infrastructure in the schools and for framing of comprehensive guidelines by the Delhi Government for sending teachers to foreign countries for training programmes.

The plea has been moved in the backdrop of a proposed decision taken by the Delhi government last year to send selected teachers of government schools on a training programme to Finland on government’s expense.

“It is submitted that the same is completely based on favouritism, as no established criteria has been set out for the selection of deserving candidates. The fate of one’s appointment or getting shortlisted is pre-determined due to subjectivity in such appointment which reflects inherent disability-clogging the potential appointees,” the plea states.

It has been submitted that rather than organising “fancy international training programmes”, the Delhi government should focus on the welfare of the students by taking efficient steps towards the irregularities which are adversely affecting the basic education system in Delhi.

“There is an urgent need for better infrastructure of government schools in Delhi, which are in a deplorable condition. There is plethora of infrastructural problems, and which require urgent attention. Further, a comprehensive policy is needed, keeping in mind the cost-benefit analysis rather than an arbitrary unreasonable decisions/ action as proposed by the Delhi Government before sending the teachers to Finland or other countries for the purpose of training,” the plea adds.

It has also been stated that “international leisure trips” for selected teachers would not enhance their skills, rather it would minimise the funds that could have been used for the education system in Delhi.

“Delhi Government makes tall claims of having brought a revolution in the education sector, to the contrary, the ground reality is different altogether. The government schools are in shambles and in a dilapidated state with broken benches thrown outside, drinking water coolers in a blemished condition and poor infrastructure with respect to the premises,” the petition states.

Title: AJAY VEER YADAV & ORS. v. GOVT. OF NCT OF DELHI & ORS