Shimla: The recruitment process for 6,297 nursery teacher (Early Childhood Care and Education Instructor) posts in Himachal Pradesh has come to an unexpected standstill. Out of nearly 10,000 applicants from across the state, only 14 candidates were found eligible after the verification of educational qualifications.
According to Education Department sources, the rejection of most applications was due to the absence of a valid Nursery Teacher Training (NTT) diploma recognised by the National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE). The state government had launched this recruitment drive to begin nursery and kindergarten classes in government schools, but the negligible number of eligible candidates has now halted the process.
As per NCTE guidelines, applicants must possess a two-year NTT diploma from an institution approved by the central government or the NCTE. However, most candidates had one-year diplomas, online training certificates, or qualifications from private institutions that were not recognised. Consequently, nearly all applications were rejected during eligibility checks.
This large-scale recruitment was first approved during the tenure of former Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur, when the Education Department cleared 6,297 posts for early childhood instructors. The process was revived under the current Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu government, which decided to strictly adhere to NCTE norms while finalising appointments.
The Electronics Corporation conducted interviews through private agencies across all districts over two months. However, before the results could be declared, verification revealed that most candidates’ NTT diplomas were invalid. Many had obtained certificates through online courses or unaccredited centers, leaving the department unable to proceed legally.
The state government is now reviewing possible solutions to the impasse. One proposal under consideration is for the State Education Department to launch NTT diploma courses at its training centers, enabling local candidates to gain valid certification for future recruitment drives.
The state government is now reviewing possible options to address the shortfall. One proposal under consideration is for the Education Department to start its own NTT diploma courses at government training centers so that local candidates can become eligible in the future.
Officials indicate that until a sufficient pool of qualified candidates is created, the plan to introduce nursery and kindergarten classes in government schools may remain delayed.
