High Court Declares B.Ed Requirement for Shastri Teacher Posts Unlawful

Shimla, December 31: In a significant decision, the Himachal Pradesh High Court has ruled the mandatory B.Ed requirement for Shastri teacher posts as unlawful, providing relief to Shastri degree holders. Justice Ajay Mohan Goel emphasized that the government cannot impose arbitrary decisions without following proper procedures or amending the Recruitment and Promotion Rules (R&P Rules).

The court clarified that making B.Ed mandatory for Shastri teacher recruitment necessitates amending the relevant rules. The petitioners had challenged the 2023 Education Department notification that required B.Ed as a qualification for Shastri posts. They argued that this condition was introduced without amending recruitment rules, creating inequality in the recruitment process.

The petitioners further contended that mandating B.Ed could allow junior candidates with both Shastri and B.Ed degrees to secure appointments, violating the principle of batch-wise recruitment.

Previously, a division bench of the High Court had dismissed similar petitions challenging a February 19, 2020 notification. However, this time, the single bench ruled in favor of the petitioners.

This decision will compel the government to ensure transparency in recruitment and amend the rules for Shastri teacher positions accordingly.