25-05-2025
Maharashtra: Govt move to appoint teachers on contract in over 1,700 posts in ashram schools draws criticism
Maharashtra's Tribal Development department has announced contractual appointment of teachers on over 1,700 vacant posts in ashramshalas, residential schools established in tribal areas to provide basic education and midday meals to tribal children. The decision, however, has led to criticism with many raising concerns over how detrimental the move is for quality of teaching at ashram schools as children attending these schools have no other option to obtain basic education.
Last week, the Tribal Development department made the announcement for contractual appointment of teachers to 1,791 posts in ashram schools. This includes 809 teachers in the primary section of Marathi medium and 178 for English medium schools. The other posts are in secondary (455) and higher secondary (229) along with 120 graduate primary teachers. The Government Resolution (GR) states that all these posts will be filled via contractual employment and will be done through tendering process.
Soon after the GR was out, educators across the state started voicing strong concerns not only over the decision to make contractual appointments but also the process of tendering. Presence of a third-party agency in the process, according to many, is a bad move.
J M Abhyankar, member of Legislative Council, who has written a letter to state Tribal Development Minister Dr Ashok Uike, opposing the decision, said, 'These schools are the only source of basic education for tribal children coming from remote areas of the state. These children not only come there to study but also to stay on the same premises, this doubles the responsibilities of teachers working in these schools. As these are residential schools, teachers are also expected to stay on the premises, which requires a person to relocate to a remote area. Ideally, the government should announce incentives for trained persons to take up these jobs. But here, the state is willing to let it out to people who are ready to work on these posts on contracts.'
Abhyankar also pointed out that inviting tenders means bringing an agency in the process of recruitment. 'Already the salary will be very low since it is contractual employment. And with the middlemen it will be further reduced. Which trained teacher would want to take up a job like this,' said Abhyankar, adding that the government is betraying the tribal population of the state by compromising on education of their children.
