Member of Parliament Demands to Safeguard 205 Posts for OBC and 40 Posts of ST out of 539 Posts for Island Candidates

Port Blair, March 1: Recently the Directorate of Education, Andaman and Nicobar Administration, vide its Vacancy Notice dated 23.02.2023 bearing reference no. 8-10(1447)/ Edn/CCB/2018-2019/ Vol-II/1143 has notified 295 vacancies of Graduate Trained Teacher (GTT) and 244 vacancies of Primary School Teacher (PST) to be filled on 'Short Term Contract ' basis for a period from 01.07.2023 to 30.04.2024 or till such time regular appointments are made whichever is earlier.

In this regard now the Member of Parliament has written a letter to the Chief Secretary of Andaman and Nicobar Administration and mentioned that on going through the Vacancy Notice it is found that for this Short Term Contract engagement no reservation for Other Backward Classes (OBC) and Schedule Tribes (ST) belonging to these Islands has been kept for all 539 vacancies of GTTs and PSTs taken together.

He pointed out that for selection it is prescribed that all Central Teacher Eligibility Test (CTET) passed candidates are eligible to apply for the Short Term Contract engagement as per the educational and other qualifications prescribed for the post irrespective of their category ( i.e.OBC, ST & PH) and selection for the above mentioned engagement shall be made only on the basis of the academic weightage of marks as approved by the competent authority.

In this context the Member of Parliament referred Note 2 at Para 5, page no.3 of the instant Notice in conjunction with condition prescribed at Sl.No.17, page 6 of the instant Notice.

The Member of Parliament added that one of the major concerns of the youths of these Islands is growing unemployment and their demand is to fill all government vacancies which is about 10,000 from amongst the Islanders. The Vacancy Notice such as above will encourage more and more outsiders to apply for government employment in these Islands and grabbing away the job opportunity from the Islanders.

He added that in absence of Government notification for 100% job reservations for the Islanders, it is found that the percentage of jobseekers not belonging to Islands are increasing sharply.

“The need of the hour is to protect the interest of the Islanders atleast by adhering to the constitutional provisions for reservation in public appointment conferred to the OBC and ST of these Islands,” he added.

The Member of Parliament pointed out that the Government of India has notified 38% reservation for Other Backward Class (OBC) and 7.5% reservation for the Schedule Tribes (ST) belonging to these Islands in respect of government/ public appointment under UT Administration of Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Hence by application of notified reservation criteria for OBC & ST, atleast 205 posts for OBC and 40 posts of ST out of a total of 539 can be safeguarded from the applicants not belonging to these Islands.

He pointed out that the Department of Personnel & Training, Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, Government of India vide its Office Memorandum 36036/3/2018-Estt. (Res.) dated 15.05.2018 has reiterated that temporary appointments which last for 45 days or more reservation for Schedule Caste/ Schedule Tribe/ OBC shall be made for appointment to Central Government posts and services.

“Andaman and Nicobar Administration being a Union Territory directly governed by the Central Government, all rules and regulations of the Central Government are followed in totality, hence the above cited Office Memorandum becomes applicable to the posts of Andaman and Nicobar Administration and also the reservation criteria laid down for government/ public appointment in respect of posts and services of Andaman and Nicobar Administration,” he mentioned.

In view of the above the Member of Parliament requested the Chief Secretary to look into the matter and consider making applicable the direction of Government of India for reservation in temporary appointment in respect of the above referred Short Term Contract appointment of Graduate Trained Teacher and Primary School Teacher in the Directorate of Education, Andaman and Nicobar Administration as the instant contract appointment though being for short term is definitely going to last for more than 45 days.