SAT orders for age respite of contract teacher aspirants

Amid the ongoing agitation of axed contract teachers in Odisha, the Cuttack bench of State Administrative Tribunal (SAT) today directed the government to modify its 2014 notification on appointment of contract teachers and keep the upper age limit at 42.
The bench of SAT judicial and administrative members have ordered the state government to come out with a fresh notification with the modified upper age limit which will be applicable for the current year only.
The SAT has also directed the government to complete the recruitment process within two months from the date of the order, which was kept reserved since November 24 after concluding the hearing.

The government last year had decided to reduce the upper age limit of the aspirants from 42 to 32 and a minimum of 50 per cent marks in the graduation level for eligibility to apply for the contract teachers post. Several aspirants approached the SAT seeking modification of the two criteria.
The tribunal, however, did not interfere in the qualification criteria.
The state government last month informed the Orissa High Court that it will cancel appointments of around 4,000 contractual teachers who were engaged in June this year despite a stay order by the High Court. The teachers who lost their jobs are now agitating against the government.