- (1.) Heard counsel for the parties.
(2.) Since common issues are involved in these writ petitions, therefore they are being heard together and decided by this common judgment. Essentially, petitioners herein lay a challenge to the vires of Rule 21 of the Jharkhand Primary Schools Teachers Recruitment Rules, 2012(hereinafter referred to as Rules of 2012). As a sequel to the said challenge, they also seek quashing of the advertisement issued by the respective District authorities in November, 2013 for appointment of Assistant Teachers in primary schools in the Districts of Jharkhand. Some of the advertisements issued by the District Superintendent of Education of Jamtara, Godda and Lohardaga are specifically under challenge. Petitioners have also sought a declaration that the qualification of Diploma in Primary Education is not recognized by the National Council for Teachers Education (hereinafter referred to as N.C.T.E.) and should not be treated as an essential eligibility qualification as prescribed under the impugned Rules. They also seek a declaration that candidates having B.Ed degree (one year course) should be considered for appointment as Elementary School Teachers provided they have passed the Teachers Eligibility Test (hereinafter referred to as T.E.T.).
(3.) Learned counsel for the petitioners in W.P.S. No. 7508 of 2013, W.P.S. No. 5234 of 2014 and W.P.C. No. 302 of 2014 submitted that the present petitioners despite having passed the Teachers Eligibility Test(T.E.T) and also possessing B.Ed degree, have been deprived even to apply and participate in the selection process under advertisement No. 1/2013-14 of appointment of elementary school teachers in the District of Jamtara, Sahibganj and Lohardaga respectively.;