In a historic direction, Himachal High Court has directed the state Govt to phase out teachers appointed to posts of ‘Junior Basic Training’ under ‘The Himachal Pradesh Primary Assistant Teacher Scheme 2003’.

Justice Rajeev Sharma also asked the state government to commence the selection process for filling up posts of JBT teachers strictly as per the Recruitment and Promotion Rules and complete the process within six months.

Allowing the petition filed by trained JBT teachers, the court directed the respondent state not to regularise services of those teachers appointed Dehors the Recruitment and Promotion Rules.

The petitioners had pleaded that they had undertaken JBT training but the respondent state appointed Primary Assistant Teachers (PATs) against the posts of JBTs.

According to the petitioners, the persons who have been appointed as PATs did not even possess minimum essential qualifications of JBT. The government had argued that “The Primary Assistant Teachers were appointed, since eligible/qualified candidates were not ready and willing to serve in tribal/hard areas.