BBMP ropes in detective agency to hire teachers; many fear job loss

Bengaluru: The BBMP has roped in a detective agency to provide teachers to the corporation-run schools and colleges for 2023-24.

The move has received sharp reactions, including fear of job loss among the existing batch of teachers, who want the BBMP to hire them directly as guest lecturers instead of engaging them through private agencies. 

As per official records, the civic body has committed to pay a total of Rs 3.40 crore to Appu Detective and Security Services Ltd. The amount includes salaries, employer contribution of provident fund and 2 per cent of service charge. In exchange, the agency is expected to provide 138 teachers for nursery, primary, and high schools, as well as pre-university colleges in the BBMP’s South and RR Nagar zones. 

Three bidders had participated in the tender, which was floated in mid-2023. Of these, the BBMP rejected Sharp Watch Investigation Security Services, and Feature Planet OPC Private Limited lost in the financial evaluation. The proposal was approved by Rakesh Singh, BBMP administrator. 

According to Preeti Gehlot, Special Commissioner (Education), BBMP, the detective agency supplies manpower for various services, including security, data entry operators and teachers. “There is no agency in Bengaluru that specialises in providing only teachers. Hence, we had to rely on firms that provide manpower, including teachers,” Preeti said. 

The BBMP, she said, has put in a system where the screening committee will assess the eligibility of teachers before employing them for teaching. 

Srinivas Murthy, president of Outsourced Teachers Association, said the BBMP should stop using private agencies to provide teachers and instead recruit them directly.

“At the moment, the BBMP pays around Rs 4,000 as service fee to the agency. The salaries of teachers and lecturers are so low, so the BBMP can give the same money to the teachers by hiring them as guest lecturers — a model followed by the state government,” he said.