Mumbai: The Nagpur bench of the Bombay high court ruled on Thursday in favour of the managements of grant-in-aid schools and junior colleges to select and appoint teachers against Maharashtra government's Pavitra portal selection.

Recently, the Maharashtra government had made amendments to the Maharashtra Employees of Private Schools (Conditions of Service) Regulation Rules, 1981. Accordingly, it decided to make appointments through eligibility/aptitude test conducted by Pavitra online portal, claiming it would be free of corruption and money will not be involved in the exchange.


More than 12 schools and colleges running on grants challenged the amendments made by the government. 

While the court ruled in favour of the educational institutions, it underlined the necessity to maintain transparency in the appointment of teachers and the complete process of it. The court also gave rights to the state government to carry forward aptitude tests to shortlist eligible candidates.


Institutions have now been asked to appoint teachers from the shortlist as per Pavitra and on the basis of oral interviews as well. If the institution does not agree with the shortlisted candidates, each member of the school committee or of the management will have to compulsorily provide reasons for the same and the final decision will be taken by a vote of majority. 

The bench comprising Justice Ravi Deshpande and Justice Vinay Joshi clarified that, while the private institutions were given freedom to make these decisions, the exercise of control would not be extended towards other day-to-day administrative affairs.