Team Blitz India
MUMBAI: The teacher recruitment process in Maharashtra, delayed yet again because of the model code of conduct for elections, is expected to resume now that the Legislative Council elections have been postponed.
Seven members of the Legislative Council (Vidhan Parishad) in Maharashtra are elected by graduates and another seven by teachers of the constituency. Maharashtra is one of the six states that has the provision of 1/12th of its MLCs being elected by teachers and graduates each.
On May 8, the Election Commission had announced MLC elections from two graduate and teachers’ constituencies each on June 10. Under the model code of conduct, which comes into effect when the Election Commission announces the election schedule, no ad hoc appointments are to be made and even regular appointments may be deferred until after the elections.
Recruitment to over 22,000 teaching positions in government and aided schools in Maharashtra, which began in December 2022, has been getting delayed for various reasons. The 2024 Lok Sabha elections were yet another reason, although the ECI instructed the education department to resume the recruitment process in districts where voting was over.
With the term of four MLCs from graduate and teachers’ constituencies in Mumbai, Nashik and Konkan division expiring, elections were announced for June 10. However, some stakeholders made representations to the ECI requesting postponement of the elections until after summer vacations in schools are over.
Education Commissioner Suraj Mandhare said, “Legislative Council elections have been postponed by the Election Commission so the code of conduct for the Legislative Council polls will not be applicable now.”
