The recent Cabinet decision by Chhattisgarh Government of filling up posts of teachers in tribal and remote areas by outsourcing is a step in the right direction.
There are huge vacancies of subject teacher in remote and tribal areas of the State particularly in subjects like Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, Biology, Economics and Accountancy etc.
It is well known that State Government has not been able to fill up these vacancies because of several reasons including non-availability of qualified subject teachers from the reserved category, unwillingness of many qualified subject teachers to serve in remote and tribal areas etc.
Vacancies of teachers at elementary level have been filled up by reducing essential educational qualifications for recruitment in remote and tribal areas.
A similar strategy of reducing educational qualifications for senior subject teachers will not work because unqualified persons will not be able to teach these subjects effectively. This has resulted in poor academic achievement of students in these areas and has adversely impacted overall progress in terms of human capital in the tribal areas of Chhattisgarh.
Recruitment of non reserved category candidates cannot be done on a permanent basis against reserved posts. Similarly even if outside candidates are willing to serve in remote tribal areas they cannot be recruited on a permanent basis because of domicile rules.
It is an irony that people who are willing to serve in these remote areas cannot be recruited as per rules, and those who can be recruited are either not qualified or are unwilling to serve.
The policy of outsourcing was suggested as a temporary short term measure to overcome these difficulties. Even last year a decision was taken by the Government to fill up the vacancies of subject teachers by outsourcing but the decision was letter reversed under political pressure both from the opposition and the ruling party.
let us hope that good sense prevails this time and students in tribal areas do not lose the opportunity of good quality education. Only short sighted persons speak against short term outsourcing. One should understand that short term outsourcing does not take away jobs from the local population or from reserved category candidates. When teachers are appointed by outsourcing the posts are still shown as vacant in Government records and every year it is mandatory to make efforts to fill these vacancies by qualified reserved category and local candidates. As and when qualified reserved category and local candidates become available the persons appointed by outsourcing will be removed.
Thus outsourcing not only helps in tribal children in getting quality education, it also safeguards the interests of reserved category and local candidates.
Those against outsourcing should give a thought to the harm they are doing to the children in tribal areas. Our greatest investment in development has to be in the field of livelihood, health and education. Progress is dependent of development and investment in human resources. If children in tribal areas do not get good quality education in sciences and arts, what hope do we have of improvement in the life of people living in these areasIJ
Even countries with the strictest immigration laws allows highly education persons specially doctors and teachers to immigrate into their countries because they realise that these people will be helpful in development of the host country and will be of great advantage to the local people. Those countries like the United States of America, which have allowed such immigration are considered the greatest and most developed today. These countries openly recognise the contribution of immigrants in their growth and development.
One teacher makes the future of thousands of students. One doctor saves the life of thousands of people. Imagine how many students in tribal areas of Chhattisgarh have lost out in life because there was no qualified teacher in their neighbourhood. How many persons in tribal areas of the State have suffered ill health and even death because no qualified doctor was available in their vicinityIJ Real well wishers of tribal people will never oppose any policy which will provide good quality education and health in these underdeveloped areas. How long can the tribal people wait before Government can fill up vacancies as per rulesIJ The policy of short term outsourcing has come as a boon for the poor people of remote tribal areas. All good people must support it.
(Dr Alok Shukla is a senior IAS officer in Chhattisgarh Government and the views expressed by him in the article are his entirely personal)