Bhopal: The Madhya Pradesh high court has dismissed a plea for appointment as a Samvida Shala Shikshak Grade-III, holding that a BEd degree cannot replace the DEd qualification prescribed for primary school teachers.
Justice Anand Singh Bahrawat rejected the petition filed by Sudha Gupta, who had cleared the Samvida Shala Shikshak Varg-III eligibility test in 2011 and sought appointment on the ground that similarly placed candidates had received relief in earlier cases.
The court noted that although the petitioner held a BEd degree, she did not possess the mandatory DEd qualification required under the Madhya Pradesh Panchayat Adhyapak Cadre Rules. It said that merely clearing the Teacher Eligibility Test or finding a place in the merit list does not create an automatic right to appointment.
The judgment observed that B.Ed programmes are meant to prepare teachers for upper primary, secondary and senior secondary classes, while DElEd and DEd courses are designed specifically for elementary-level teaching. It added that primary teachers require specialised training in child psychology and age-appropriate pedagogy.
“A BEd course is not designed for teaching at primary level,” the court observed, warning that allowing B.Ed candidates to occupy posts meant for DEd-qualified teachers could affect the quality of primary education.
Relying on Supreme Court rulings, including P M Latha, Yogesh Kumar and Dilip Kumar Ghosh, the High Court reiterated that B.Ed cannot be treated as a higher or equivalent qualification for primary teaching posts.
The court also noted that the recruitment process related to 2010-11, while the petition was filed in 2019, resulting in substantial delay. Finding no merit in the plea, it dismissed the petition.
