Maharashtra cancels contractual teacher appointments, announces permanent hires

The Maharashtra School Education Department recently canceled the appointment of contractual teachers in government schools with 10 or fewer students following widespread opposition across the state from teacher unions and education activists.

They argued that temporary appointments undermine job security and educational quality.

Meanwhile, experts welcomed the decision and urged the state government to speed up the recruitment process to ensure students from government schools receive quality education without further delays.

The state government has also announced the second phase of recruitment for government and aided schools to ensure the appointment of permanent teachers in these institutions. The Education Commissionerate has sent a proposal to the state government to expedite the recruitment process, aiming to resolve the long-standing issue in nearly 6,000 schools across the state, officials said.

On Teachers’ Day (September 5) in 2023, the state government had initially decided to appoint contractual teachers in schools with 20 or fewer students. However, after facing strong opposition, the policy was revised to apply only to schools with 10 or fewer students. The revised policy allowed one permanent teacher per school, with additional teachers being hired on a contractual basis.

The implementation of this decision began before the 2024 Lok Sabha elections but was halted when the model code of conduct was enforced. The process resumed after the elections, but the state government has now officially canceled the contractual hiring plan, according to a government resolution issued on Feb 10.

The cancellation affects 5,931 schools, most located in remote areas. These schools had vacant teacher posts filled by unemployed B.Ed and D.Ed graduates on contractual terms. Following the new decision, these teachers will continue working until their contract expires or permanent teachers are appointed.

Tushar Mahajan, deputy secretary of the state education department, confirmed that the teacher recruitment will proceed swiftly to prevent disruptions in students’ education. Welcoming the decision, education expert Mahendra Ganpule said, “The state government should complete the recruitment process at the earliest to ensure students from government schools receive quality education without further delays.”

Education Minister Dadaji Bhuse has overturned several decisions made by his predecessor, Deepak Kesarkar, including the One State, One Uniform policy and the removal of blank pages in newly issued notebooks. Teacher and activist Sushil Shejule praised the move, saying it helps “thousands of students to get quality education.”