The Patna High Court, in a landmark decision, has ruled that holders of a Bachelor of Education (B.Ed) degree are ineligible for the role of primary school teachers in Bihar. This verdict aligns with the Supreme Court’s directive that only those with a Diploma in Elementary Education (D.El.Ed) are qualified for such positions.
The division bench of the Patna High Court, led by Chief Justice K. Vinod Chandran and Justice Rajiv Roy, delivered a judgment that has significant implications for the educational sector in Bihar. The bench stated,
“The writ petitions are allowed with the finding that the notification dated 28.06.2018, issued by ‘the NCTE’ is no longer applicable and the B.Ed candidates cannot be considered eligible for appointment as primary school teachers.”
This decision came in response to a series of writ petitions challenging the National Council of Teacher Education’s (NCTE) 2018 notification, which had deemed B.Ed degree holders eligible for primary school teaching jobs.
The High Court’s judgment further elaborated,
“It goes without saying that the appointments made will have to be reworked and the eligible candidates as per the original notification of ‘the NCTE’ of the year 2010 can only be continued in the post to which they have been appointed. The State would also take a decision as to whether the vacant posts falling vacant on such reworking are to be filled up from the merit list available with the State, of the candidates eligible for appointment as primary school teachers.”
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In a recent order, the Supreme Court had quashed the NCTE’s 2018 notification that specified B.Ed as a qualification criterion for primary teachers. The apex court emphasized the importance of a good teacher as the first assurance of ‘quality’ education in a school, stating that any compromise on the qualification of teachers would necessarily mean compromising the ‘quality’ of education. Distinguishing the skill sets necessary for teachers in primary and higher classes, the Supreme Court highlighted the unique pedagogical approach required from primary-level teachers. The court underscored the significance of these initial formative years, necessitating careful and sensitive handling.
Echoing the Supreme Court’s decision, the Patna High Court reiterated,
“We are bound by the decision of the Supreme Court and so is the State, under Article 141 of the Constitution…”
This ruling has far-reaching consequences for over 22,000 teachers who cleared the B.Ed exam for Classes 1 to 5 and were appointed during the 6th phase of the recruitment process. As a result of the High Court’s ruling, these B.Ed-qualified candidates will no longer be considered eligible for primary school teacher appointments in Bihar.