Over 25 engineering graduates selected to teach in government-run schools, through recently held recruitment examination, are worried about losing the opportunity due to an error by department of school education and literacy.
According to the rules framed by the department, the candidates must have studied Applied Mathematics in the engineering course. But, there is no such subject offered by Visvesvaraya Technological University (VTU).
For the first time, the department in 2021 allowed engineering graduates to apply for Teachers Eligibility Test (TET) to teach in the government schools for grades 6 to 8. For this, the state government had brought amendments to the Cadre and Recruitment Rules.
Considering the vacancies for Mathematics and Science subjects, the department made these changes. However, of the 100-plus engineering graduates who applied for the Common Entrance Test (CET) to recruit teachers, over 25 qualified and were selected too.
"When I went for document verification, the officials rejected me saying I have not studied Applied Mathematics in engineering. I have studied Mathematics for four semesters but there is no subject called Applied Mathematics," said a candidate.
"We have brought this to the notice of the department and hope they will resolve the issue soon as it was not our fault," said another candidate.
However, the officials from the department told DH that they have sought clarification from the VTU on the issue.
Speaking to DH, Dr Vishal R, commissioner of Department of Public Instruction, said, "We are getting clarification from the University and we have to amend the rule to allow the candidates."
Currently, there are over 20,000-plus teacher vacancies in the government schools and only 3,000 were filled appointed during the drive to recruit 10,000 teachers, launched two years ago.