Thiruvananthapuram: A total of 6,005 new posts in 2,313 schools in the state have been created as part of the staff fixation exercise in the schools after a gap of three years. However, 4,563 posts that were sanctioned in 2019-20 and continued since will be removed due to the dwindled number of divisions owing to fewer students.
Most of them are aided schools. In effect, the new appointments will be made only in 1,442 posts that remain after the trimming. The new calculations reveal that the posts will be in government schools, and the appointment will be made through the PSC.
It has been found that there are 71 posts in excess in aided schools. The government is now assessing the possibility of appointments in them after the adjustment transfers are effected. Several of the appointments made in aided schools are yet to get recognition.
The staff fixation is made by counting the number of students on the sixth working day of this academic year. The total of 6,005 posts come by adding 5,906 teaching posts and 99 non-teaching posts. There are newly reported 3,080 posts in 1,106 government schools and 2,925 posts in 1,207 aided schools. Out of the axed posts, 2,925 are in aided schools while 1,638 are in government schools.
Most of the new posts are in Malappuram district – 1,583 (Government 694 and aided 889). The least number is in Pathanamthitta – 62. Since schools had been remaining closed owing to Covid-19, for the past two years, staff fixation had not taken place. Though it was decided to hold the same this year, it got delayed by months.
Setback for the unemployed
The number of vacant posts coming down from an expected over 6,000 to just 1,442 is a setback for the unemployed. The General Education Department handed over the recommendation to create the new posts for the Finance Department.
In light of the grave financial crisis, there are concerns about whether the Finance Department will sit on the recommendation to create the new posts. The Government will have to find Rs 55 crore every year for the same. The posts will be forwarded for the recognition of the Cabinet only after the Finance Department gives its nod.
With the recognition of the Cabinet coming, the vacant posts in the government schools will be handed over to the PSC for effecting appointments. Those figuring in the existing PSC rank lists will lose their chance unless the Cabinet clears new appointments and hand them over to PSC before the expiry of these rank lists. Once the Finance Department nod came, the process of appointment will be speeded up, General Education Minister V Sivankutty said.
