IN THE HIGH COURT OF BOMBAY
(PANAJI BENCH)
Kurdukar S.P. Kamat G.D., JJ.
Dominic Araujo .... Petitioner.
Versus
State of Goa others.... Respondents.
Writ Petition No. 252 of 1987, decided on 27-1-1989.
Advocates appeared :
M.B. D’Costa, for petitioner.
H.R. Bharne, Add.G.A., for respondents Nos. 1 2.
F. Rebello, for respondent No. 5.
It therefore, stands to reason that if a teacher is permitted to obtain his training qualification within a period of five years or within the extended period thereafter the teacher cannot lose his seniority and the seniority will have to be reckoned from the date of his appointment in the particular category and that appears to be the correct position.
It is no doubt true that the petitioner was a qualified Teacher having obtained graduation in the year 1974 and already possessed Dip. Ed. and was brought in the graduate category in the year 1977. Respondent No.5 was a graduate and therefore appointed in the graduate scale in the year 1972 and though he obtained his training qualification by passing the professional course of B. Ed. in the year 1978, inasmuch has he obtained it within the extended period it is not possible to rate the Respondent No. 5 lower in seniority than that of the petitioner. Once the Respondent No. 5 obtained his training qualification his seniority will be reckoned from the date of the appointment in the graduate category and the petitioner having come in that category only in the year 1977 must rank junior to Respondent No.5, The petition therefore will have to be rejected on this score.
2. This controversy arises from the following facts :
The Missionary Society of St. Francis Xavier also known as Society of Pilar conducts and imparts education in secondary education known as Fr. Agnolo High School which is a Government aided school. This society is the fourth respondent in this petition, respondent No. 3 being its Principal. The respondent No. 5, a graduate trained teacher is presently holding the post of supervisor in the same school. The petitioner joined the school as an under graduate teacher in the year 1965 and improved upon his qualifications by obtaining Diploma Education (Dip. Ed.) in the year 1970. During the course of his employment the petitioner became a graduate in the year 1974 but however was placed in the graduate scale in the year 1977. The respondent No. 5 joined Fr. Agnolo High School as a teacher in the graduate scale in the year 1972 and improved upon his qualification as a trained teacher on having passed B.Ed. in the year 1978.
In April, 1986 a senior teacher by name Paixao Rodrigues holding the post of a supervisor retired. The respondent No. 5 was elevated to the post of supervisor by the school authority duly approved by the Director of Education (respondent No. 2). The petitioner made a communication dated 29th June, 1987 to the Director of Education, laying a claim to the post of supervisor on retirement of Shri Paixao Rodrigues. Having had no reply to this representation he made second representation on 7th July, 1987 followed by another one dated 14th July, 1987. By the letter dated 3rd August, 1987 Assistant Director of Education informed the petitioner that his claim for the post of supervisor could not be considered on the ground that the petitioner is not the seniormost teacher in the graduate category in terms of Note II to Rule 80(5) of the Education Rules. After having learnt that respondent No. 5 was appointed as supervisor in the school the petitioner wrote to the third respondent to furnish copies of the correspondence exchanged between the Principal and Director of Education on the subject. The petitioner repeated such request but without success. By his letter dated 7th October, 1987 the Principal informed the petitioner regarding appointment of fifth respondent as supervisor. It is this appointment of respondent No. 5 that is now challenged in this petition.
3. Mr. M.B. D'Costa, learned Counsel for the petitioner on placing reliance on sub-rule (5) of Rule 80 of the Education Rules, 1986 contended that the supervisor can only be drawn from the category of "Trained Graduate Teacher" based on seniority however subject to fitness and this according to him is clear from the note incorporated below that Rule. Sub-rule (5) of Rule 80 reads thus :
"(5) ........................................
(b) one post of supervisor, in the same pay scale of Trained Graduate Teacher, when the number of classes are more than 10 but not exceeding 30 classes.
Note : The supervisor shall be appointed on the basis of seniority in the trained graduate category, subject to fitness and they shall have a teaching workload of 24 periods per
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