SC blow to part-time teachers

KATHMANDU: The Supreme Court today quashed the government’s bid to promote around 1,450 part-time teachers of the Tribhuvan University without competition.

A division bench of Justices Bala Ram KC and Bharat Raj Upreti quashed the agreement signed between the government and the part-time teachers three years back.

Immediately after the restoration of democracy in 2005, the government led by former Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala had signed the agreement to make them temporary teachers automatically. Former Finance Minister and Education Minister had signed the agreement with the part time teachers.

At least 1,450 teachers would face the music after the apex court intervention.

“Since the agreement is against the existing

law and has deprived the rights of other qualified persons to be selected, the agreement is null and void,” the bench said.

“Such vacancy should be filled through open competition guaranteeing equal opportunity for all,” the bench ruled. The bench added that the part-time teachers can continue their job but they have to face competition to be appointed as temporary teachers.

Challenging the agreement, advocate duo Saraswoti Sharma and Nanda Lal Mahato had moved the Supreme Court through a Public Interest Litigation two years back.