AGARTALA, October 10 (TIWN): The Fate of 10,323 UGT, GT and PGT teachers, now seems to depend on the next hearing of the Supreme Court (SC), scheduled on October 27. Capitalising on the same, some of the senior government officials are utilizing this opportunity for not so official but for personal interests like vacation trip to New Delhi . “Merely for knowing the date of hearing one need not to go to Delhi by spending government money, the same can be known through a phone call and I have done the same”, said a prominent High Court Lawyer to TIWN. Law Secretary Data Mohan Jamatia is reported to go to Delhi on Friday, for knowing the date of next hearing in SC on the case of recruitment of teachers by the Government of Tripura.

 The case will be produced in the SC before the same bench. On earlier hearing, No lawyer was there to fight the case on behalf of the unemployed youths. Due to undisclosed reasons, many of the unemployed youths (who filed the petition against the Government) were not served the SC notices. Few of them have received the notice of the court today, revealed TIWN sources.

On being asked about the probable fate of the 10323 teachers as regards the judgment of the apex court, the lawyer said: “The High Court’s (HC) judgment is as good as any Supreme Court judgment and the judgment is supported by previous other judgments of the SC in the such sort of cases.” The state government had stated that the appointment was based on seniority cum merit but was silent  regarding how much percentage is needed for merit consideration. “The interviews were held at various places across the state and this is not acceptable as per law and Government recruitment policy”, remarked the lawyer. Besides, instead of holding any written test, the selection was made based on oral (interview) only. And in the oral section questions based on names, family and such other petty issues, were asked. “In education system no compromise should be made, if the teachers themselves do not know anything how would they teach as seniority with merit has been considered”, the lawyer further added. Meanwhile, it is to be noted that the SC hardly overrules the judgment of the HC, in the cases like the mentioned one.