In Brief
The Supreme Court upheld the Allahabad High Court's decision striking down the State of U.P.'s attempts to regularize 1.78 lakh Shiksha Mitras (para-teachers) as regular teachers without the statutory qualifications mandated by the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009. The Court held that teachers must possess minimum qualifications prescribed by the NCTE, including passing the Teacher Eligibility Test. Only the Central Government, not State Governments, can relax these qualifications for limited periods. Shiksha Mitras were contractually appointed, not as teachers, and their absorption as teachers violated constitutional principles of equality and the parliamentary mandate for quality education. The Court rejected arguments based on long service, directing instead that Shiksha Mitras be given opportunity for future recruitment if they acquire requisite qualifications.
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