Hyderabad: The Telangana High Court has instructed the Telangana Residential Educational Institutions Recruitment Board (TREIRB) to conduct a fresh written examination for Art and Craft Teacher posts in both Telugu and English languages.
This decision comes after the board’s August 2023 exam was held only in English, despite the original recruitment notification explicitly stating the question paper would be bilingual.
The court emphasised strict adherence to the notification’s terms, noting that deviations after the exam process began are impermissible.
TREIRB’s 2023 notification
In 2023, the TREIRB issued a notification to fill teaching posts, including Art, Craft, and Music Teachers, in Gurukulam institutions.
The notification clearly specified that the question paper would be available in Telugu and English. However, the exam was conducted solely in English, leading to petitions from Telugu-medium candidates who argued this violated the recruitment rules and disadvantaged them.
A single-judge bench initially ruled in favour of the petitioners, directing the board to follow the notification.
TREIRB appeals decision
The board appealed the decision, claiming a re-exam would disrupt the 4,359 candidates who had already appeared and delay recruitment further.
It also argued that English was chosen to align with the medium of instruction in residential schools. A division bench comprising Justices Abhinand Kumar Shavili and Laxmi Narayana Alishetty dismissed the appeal, stating that altering rules post-notification is unfair and jeopardises candidates’ futures.
The court stressed that recruitment processes must prioritise transparency and equality.
The bench rejected the board’s logistical concerns, asserting that adherence to the notification’s terms is non-negotiable. It highlighted that failing to provide bilingual exams discriminates against Telugu-medium candidates and undermines constitutional principles.
The court ordered TREIRB to conduct a fresh exam in both languages promptly, ensuring a fair opportunity for all applicants.
