Pune: Maharashtra state education department decision to appoint contractual teachers with a monthly salary of ₹15,000 in schools with 20 or fewer students has sparked widespread criticism from teacher organizations and education experts.

In Zilla Parishad schools across Maharashtra, a large number of teaching positions remain unfilled. To address this issue temporarily, the education department initially decided to appoint retired teachers until regular teachers could be recruited through the Pavitra system.

However, on Teachers' Day, the department expanded the plan to hire contractual teachers, offering them a monthly salary of ₹15,000. This decision has been slammed by both qualified, unemployed candidates and teacher organizations who argue that it will do more harm than good to schools with smaller student populations.

Thousands of unemployed D.Ed and B.Ed-qualified candidates in Maharashtra have been waiting for regular teaching appointments. These candidates claim that the contractual hiring process undercuts their prospects for permanent jobs and offers inadequate compensation.

Regular teachers earn ₹16,000 per month, only slightly more than what is being offered to contractual teachers, but with significantly more job security and responsibilities.

Mukund Kirdat of the AAP Parents’ Union remarked, “This decision financially exploits young candidates by offering them just ₹15,000, and further burdens them with responsibilities that should be reserved for regularly appointed teachers. Moreover, the move to employ retirees denies younger teachers the opportunity to secure stable employment.”

The education department's decision is seen as particularly harmful to smaller schools in rural and remote areas of the state. Teacher organizations argue that only regular teachers can ensure the long-term stability and quality of education in such schools.

Retired and contractual teachers may not feel a sense of responsibility toward improving student enrollment and educational outcomes, as their positions are temporary. Critics warn that this policy could severely damage the state’s education system.

Vijay Kombe, the state president of the Maharashtra State Primary Teachers Committee, said, “This decision is not just a blow to teachers, but to the students in smaller schools who will be directly affected by the lack of stable, quality instruction.”