As many as 50 candidates, who completed their two-year diploma in elementary teachers training from Jammu and Kashmir, have been forced to run from pillar to post to establish their eligibility to participate in the ongoing recruitment for the vacant 68,500 posts of assistant teachers in government-run primary schools of Uttar Pradesh.

The Basic Education Board of UP had first written to the National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) in this regard.

However, the NCTE has expressed its inability to verify certificates of these candidates pointing out that J&K was not under its purview. The Basic Education Board, UP, will now approach the UP government seeking advice/instructions on the issue, said the education department officials.

“We have sought the state government’s advice on the issueand would proceed further as per its instructions,” said Ruby Singh, secretary,Basic Education Board, Uttar Pradesh.

The National Council for Teacher Education’s stand too hasnot gone down well with the state education department officials. They pointedout that under the Right to Education (RTE) Act the onus on verifying thecandidates and the institute falls on NCTE, especially when the Section 370 hasbeen abrogated from Jammu and Kashmir.

Meanwhile, unhappy candidates who have done the two-yearelementary teachers training course from J&K have started moving to thehigh court. Five such candidates, who had also moved to SC/ST commission, haveeven been granted conditional appointments in Rampur district but with a notingon the appointment letters that their appointments would be subject to the highcourt ruling.