Agartala, July 12, 2023: The government of Tripura has announced its intention to file a Special Leave Petition (SLP) with the Supreme Court of India to address the complications that have arisen in the recruitment process of graduate teachers. Chief Minister Dr. Manik Saha made this declaration during a session in the state assembly on Wednesday, in response to a question submitted by Leader of the Opposition Animesh Debbarma.
The recruitment process for graduate teachers, conducted through the Selection Test for Graduate Teachers (STGT) examination by the Teachers Recruitment Board Tripura (TRBT), has faced prolonged delays due to legal complexities. Despite the passage of nine months, the recruitment process remains incomplete.
The High Court of Tripura dismissed the state government’s review petition regarding a single bench judgment that stated the reservation of more than 50 percent of posts was not permissible for a specific job advertisement.
Debbarma drew attention to the shortage of teachers in government schools through a calling notice. During the question hour, concerns were raised about the scarcity of teachers in rural schools. Chief Minister Dr. Saha acknowledged the scarcity and highlighted the exacerbating impact of the Supreme Court verdict, which led to the removal of 10,323 teachers from schools. Additionally, a significant number of teachers retire each year, compounding the issue.
Dr. Saha informed the assembly that the Teachers Recruitment Board, Tripura (TRBT) has been regularly conducting exams to fill vacant teaching positions. Over the past five years, 6,766 teachers, including 88 special educators, have been recruited—an unprecedented step toward uplifting the education sector in Tripura.
When the opposition MLAs attempted to raise the issue of the 10,323 teachers, the Chief Minister stated that sufficient discussions had already taken place at various levels, and further deliberation on the matter was unnecessary.
Regarding the STGT, Leader of the Opposition Animesh Debbarma expressed concern over the protracted delay and the predicament faced by aspirants. He questioned whether the exams would remain valid or be canceled in light of the High Court’s ruling on reservation percentages. Debbarma highlighted the cancellation of the initial notification for 232 posts, including over 170 posts reserved for scheduled tribe candidates, following the court’s ruling. He sought clarification on whether only the notification or the exams themselves would be affected, citing a similar complication that arose during the Teachers Eligibility Test.
The Tripura government’s decision to seek the Supreme Court’s intervention aims to address the ongoing challenges and bring a resolution to the recruitment process of graduate teachers in the state.
