The Education Department has issued a circular to primary school teachers who hold a B Ed degree, asking them to complete the D Ed course or face post-retirement financial consequences

The government has decided to act on a 10 year-old rule according to which primary schools can recruit only those teachers who hold a Diploma in Education (D Ed), and not just a Bachelor of Education (B Ed) degree.
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's (BMC) Education Department issued a letter on January 13 directing senior primary teachers, who hold a B Ed degree, to complete the D Ed course or face financial consequences post-retirement.

Dr J Keluskar, deputy education officer, said, "I believe a circular was sent to schools asking teachers to finish D Ed. The Right to Education Act could be the reason behind the circular." Suchitra Iyer (name changed), a primary teacher in a south Mumbai school, said, "I have done my D Ed so I am safe. However, senior teachers with a post- graduation qualification such as the B Ed, are worried."

Fifty year-old Gauri Chitre (name changed), a senior teacher in a primary school in the western suburbs, said, "I am an B Ed qualified teacher with an MA. The school appointed me in 1994 and the education department approved my appointment in 1995.

After so many years, the education official from K-west ward says I will have to complete a D Ed. If I don't, I will be liable to face pension problems after retirement. I am a widow and the D Ed course takes two years to complete. The fee runs up to about Rs 1 lakh. How can the department ask senior teachers with post-graduate qualifications to do a D Ed? I am going to raise this question with the education department once the term starts."

Chitre managed to get the letter from the education department after she met some officials. However, most primary teachers who hold a B Ed degree are unaware of the rule.u00a0P Pawar, education inspector of the west zone, admitted that he was not aware of the education department having released such a circular.