6,500 maths teachers wanted, only 5,646 eligible

Ahmedabad There is an acute shortage of mathematics teachers for classes VII to VIII in government-run and grant-in-aid schools across Gujarat.

Last month, the Department of Primary Education placed advertisements to fill up the total 6,500 vacancies of maths teachers, but received only 5,646 applications from candidates eligible for the job.

In effect, 854 vacancies will remain even if all the candidates who had applied, are selected for the job.

This is for the first time that such a situation has arisen in Gujarat, but state Education Department officials have said it should not be construed that there are no candidates with mathematics subject available in Gujarat.

H V Bhatt, Deputy Director (Primary Education), said the problem arose after it was made mandatory for candidates applying for teaching job to clear the Teachers Aptitude Test (TAT).

He said the performance of the candidates at TAT was poor and all of them could not qualify, and so fewer number of applications were received against the numbers advertised.

When questioned how he would cope up with the situation and meet the demand, he said the matter was under consideration and they would soon come up with some solution.

Bhatt said the response for 6,500 posts advertised for teachers in Gujarati, Hindi, Sanskrit and English languages was huge. He said that over 22,000 applications were received and the selection process will begin soon.

Retired Principal Bhaskar Patel, who is also an executive member of Gujarat Secondary and Higher Secondary Education Board (GSHSEB), said there appeared to be two reasons for the candidates’ poor performance in mathematics papers in TAT.

The paper was tough, and the candidates were not given adequate time for preparing for the test, which was held for the first time this year. The TAT exam was conducted within 15 days of the notification while at least six month’s time should have been given to the candidates for preparations, he said.