The much-awaited merit list of the selected candidates for the special recruitment of primary teachers from among Bachelor of Education (B.Ed.)/ Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) qualified candidates was released by the education department on Monday.

The list, however, irked majority of candidates and they alleged irregularities in the process of selection. The left out candidates alleged that names of more than 1000 serving teachers are in the present list as they have applied in this recruitment drive also. The president of B.Ed./TET Federation Baldev Singh Bhandari said that these serving teachers have applied in the present recruitment drive to get posting in the accessible areas or in the districts of their choice. He said that the list is full of irregularities and said that the federation would disrupt the counseling in different District Institutes of Education and Training (DIET) in protest against the widespread irregularities in the merit list. Bhandari said gross irregularities have occurred in the selection of candidates in the handicapped and freedom fighter quota also.

The merit list has 1410 candidates who would be deployed in Garhwal division while 1384 candidates are selected for appointment in Kumaon division. The department has used the criteria of year wise seniority of qualifying examination (B.Ed.) for preparing the final merit list. When contacted by The Pioneer the Primary Education Director R K Kunwar denied charges of irregularities.

On the question of names of serving teachers figuring in the list he said that the serving teachers can apply provided they have submitted the No Objection Certificate (NOC). He said that the concerned District Education Officers (DEO) have been directed that they should exclude those serving candidates who applied in the present recruitment without NOC.