Shimla – The State High Court has issued a stern reprimand to the Education Department for its failure to establish recruitment and promotion rules for Directors of Physical Education (DPE) teachers. In a recent ruling, the court mandated that these rules be formulated by May 20, warning the Education Secretary of potential contempt of court charges if the deadline is not met.
Justice Ajay Mohan Goyal issued this directive following a compliance petition filed by the Himachal Pradesh DPE Association. The court expressed frustration over the Education Department’s apparent disregard for previous orders. “One and a half years ago, this court ordered the Education Department to formulate recruitment and promotion rules for physical education teachers in classes 11th and 12th,” noted Justice Goyal. “The Department’s inaction suggests a lack of respect for the court’s decisions.”
The petitioners, representing physical education teachers in government schools, argued that despite a favourable court ruling in a previous case, which granted them pay parity with lecturers of other subjects, the necessary recruitment and promotion rules remain unestablished. This omission has hindered their career advancement, as they cannot be promoted to higher positions.
Historically, DPE teachers have been subject to outdated recruitment and promotion rules – 1973, even though they now receive the same pay scale as other school lecturers. The association pointed out that this discrepancy has long been a source of frustration and injustice.
The court ruled in favour of DPE Association in a ruling on December 1, 2022, ordering the creation of updated rules, a directive that has not been honoured to date. The High Court’s latest order aims to rectify this prolonged oversight and ensure fair treatment and career progression opportunities for DPE teachers.
