Jinnat Rehana and 11 Ors v. The State of Assam and 25 Ors

ORDER

17.03.2023 Heard Mr. U K Nair, learned Senior counsel assisted by Mr. N Alam R K, learned counsel for the petitioners and Ms. N Phukan, learned Standing counsel, Department of School (Secondary) Education, Assam for the respondent No. 1. Also heard Mr. P Nayak, learned Standing counsel, Samagra Siksha Assam for the respondent Nos. 2 to 6 and 11 to 14 as well as Mr. G Bokalial, learned Government Advocate, Assam for the respondent Nos. 7 to 10. It is stated that the 12 petitioners are serving as Head Teachers on contractual basis in various Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidalayas (KGBV in short) under Samagra Siksha Assam in various districts of the State of Assam. KGBVs are residential schools for girls belonging predominantly to the SC, ST, OBC and minorities in difficult areas and run as a separate scheme but in harmony with Sarba Siksha Abhijan (SSA), National Programme for Education of Girls at elementary level and Mahila Smakhya etc. and since 1st April, 2017 merged with the SSA programme. Petitioners submitted that vide Notification No. SSA/Girls Education/315/2008/Pt-II/18 dated 04.04.2022 the Mission Director, Samagra Siksha Assam notified that the post of Warden cum Assistant Teacher in KGBV (Type I, II & III) has been re-designated as Warden cum Superintendent, where the Warden cum Superintendent will be the overall In-charge of respective KGBVs, intimating further that the said notification will come into force with immediate effect. By Notification dated 06.12.2022, the Officer on Special Duty (OSD) of the SSA, Assam notified all the Mission Coordinators of the districts of Assam under Samagra Siksha Assam that the Head Teacher engaged in KGBV Type-III should be given responsibility exclusively for academic activities like classroom transactions, evaluation, remedial teaching and all works related to academic performances of the children to ensure effective teaching learning process of the KGBVs. Page No.# 8/9 By the said Notification dated 06.12.2022, the OSD to the Samagra Siksha Assam also intimated that Warden cum Superintendent, overall In-charge of KGBVs will monitor and report on assigned responsibility of all staff in KGBVs in addition to their responsibilities of teaching and that any report, information regarding KGVB will be certified and submitted to authority by the Warden cum Superintendent of the respective KGBVs. Petitioners submitted that the respondent Nos. 15 to 26 are serving as Warden cum Superintendents in the concerned KGBVs. It is stated that since the petitioners are serving as the Head Teachers of the concerned KGBVs under the Samagra Siksha Assam, it is them who should have the full rights to manage the affairs of the institutes, but without considering their status, the respondent authorities in the Samagra Siksha Assam and SSA, Assam by the Notifications dated 04.04.2022 and 06.12.2022, noted above, allowed the respondent Nos. 15 to 26 to look after the affairs of the concerned KGBVs. It is also submitted by the petitioners that being aggrieved with those Notifications dated 04.04.2022 and 06.12.2022, the petitioners jointly submitted an appeal before the Mission Director, Samagra Siksha Assam on 23.12.2022 stating their grievances, which is yet to be considered by the said authority. On the other hand, Mr. P Nayak, Standing counsel, Samagra Siksha Assam by placing the revised guideline for implementation of Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya Scheme submitted that under the heading "Selection of Teaching and Non-Teaching Staff", though (a) Warden cum Teacher, (b) Full Time Asstt. Teacher/Part Time Asstt. Teacher, (c) Account Asstt. cum Caretaker, (d) Peon cum Matron, (e) Head Cook, (f) Helper Cook, (g) Chowkidar cum Mali have been incorporated but post of Head Teacher/Principal in KGBVs have not been included under the said heading. Further, from the said KGBV Scheme annexed by the petitioner in this petition, Mr. Nayak placed that there are specific responsibilities for the Warden cum Teacher, Full Time Asstt. Teacher/Part Time Asstt. Teacher, Account Asstt. cum Caretaker etc. including the Headmaster and therefore, the authorities in the Assam Sarba Siksha Abhiyan Mission vide Notification dated 10.01.2022 have incorporated one Head Teacher in each of the KGBV Page No.# 9/9 Type-III. According to Mr. Nayak, Standing counsel, Samagra Siksha Assam the post of Headmaster in the KGBV under the Samagra Siksha Assam has been created on

10.01.2022 though engaged only on August, 2022 after coming into force of the said Notification dated 04.04.2022, by which the post of Warden-cum-Assistant Teacher in KGBVs has been re-designated as Warden-cum-Superintendent, changing its nomenclature. After hearing the learned counsels for the parties and considering the entire aspect of the matter, this writ petition is disposed of directing the Mission Director, Samagra Siksha Assam, respondent No. 2 to dispose of the representation/appeal of the petitioners dated 23.12.2022, with a reasoned order on or before 31.05.2023, if so required by giving an opportunity of hearing to the petitioners, the private respondent Nos. 15 to 26 as well as the respondents in the Samagra Siksha Assam, intimating them about the outcome of the same. Petitioners shall submit a certified copy of this order along with a copy of the said representation dated 23.12.2022 before the Mission Director, Samagra Siksha Assam within a week from the date of its receipt, obtaining necessary acknowledgment from the said authority in that regard.

JUDGE Comparing Assistant

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