Belgaum:
The Maharashtra Ekikaran Yuva Samiti (Seemabhag) has submitted a representation to the Additional Chief Secretary, Department of School Education and Literacy, Government of Karnataka, objecting to the proposed Cadre & Recruitment (C&R) Draft Rules for GPSTR, PSTR, and HSTR Teacher Recruitment, published on July 14, 2026.
In its memorandum, the Samiti stated that several provisions in the draft rules are discriminatory towards Marathi-medium D.Ed. and B.Ed. candidates, particularly those belonging to the Marathi linguistic minority in the border region. It warned that if the rules are implemented without amendments, thousands of qualified candidates could lose fair employment opportunities.
The organisation has demanded the introduction of a Marathi Language Proficiency Test for teachers recruited to Marathi-medium schools and requested that the recruitment examination be conducted in Marathi, Kannada, and English. It also urged the government to ensure that teachers appointed in Marathi-medium schools possess adequate Marathi language skills.
The Samiti further sought the withdrawal of the rule requiring candidates to have studied two optional subjects continuously for three years during their undergraduate degree, arguing that it unfairly affects graduates from Shivaji University and other recognised universities with different academic structures.
It also called for an additional age relaxation of 3–5 years for eligible candidates due to the prolonged delay in teacher recruitment, and demanded an increase in the weightage given to D.Ed. and B.Ed. qualifications, stating that the proposed 2% weightage is inadequate.
Regarding Science teacher recruitment, the Samiti opposed the requirement of making Physics and Chemistry compulsory, and urged the government to recognise candidates from combinations such as CBZ, PCMB, and other approved science streams.
The memorandum emphasised that the Marathi-speaking community in the border region is a recognised linguistic minority under the Constitution of India and urged the Karnataka Government to amend the draft rules to ensure equal opportunities and protect the constitutional rights of Marathi-medium teacher aspirants.
