Rohit Kumar
Port Blair, 17 December 2023
The Chairman of the ANTCC Campaign Committee, Mr. TSG Bhasker, has directed a letter to the Hon’ble Lt. Governor of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, shedding light on a crucial issue pertaining to the recruitment of teachers in various capacities within the Union Territory.
In the formal communication sent on Friday, Mr. Bhasker highlighted a pressing concern related to the filling of vacancies for Post Graduate Teachers (PGT), Graduate Teacher Trained (GTT), Primary School Teacher (PST), Physical Education Teacher (PET), Craft Instructor (C.I), and Librarian roles.
Expressing concern over the situation, Mr. Bhasker stated, “According to reliable sources, nearly 900 teaching positions are expected to be filled within the Education Department. The announcement for 380 GTT posts was made on December 7, 2023, with the deadline for applications set as December 30, 2023. Additionally, announcements for vacancies in PST and PGT positions are anticipated shortly.”
He pointed out that positions for GTT, PST, and PGT had been considered defunct for the past 8 to 10 years. Despite this, a recent recruitment drive for GTT occurred a few months back. However, during that phase the age relaxation issue concerning PGT and GTT positions were sub-judice.
Emphasising the plight of aspiring teachers in the islands, Mr. Bhasker remarked that numerous young individuals had undergone training with the ambition of becoming educators. Regrettably, due to minimal teacher recruitments over the last decade, many had been deprived of opportunities.
Consequently, Mr. Bhasker appealed to the Hon’ble Lt. Governor for a one-time relaxation of age criteria for GTT, PST, PGT, PET, C.I, and Librarian posts. He underscored that this step would not only rectify the fairness in recruitment but also provide deserving candidates with a chance to vie for these positions.
Moreover, he urged swift action, requesting the Hon’ble Lt. Governor to address this matter before December 19, 2023, to ensure equitable opportunities in the teacher recruitment process.