Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi

New Delhi, Jan 30: Delhi assembly speaker Vijender Gupta has written to Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena, forwarding a representation from teachers alleging gender discrimination in promotions within the Delhi government’s Directorate of Education (DoE), officials said on Thursday.

Gupta has sought the LG’s intervention in the matter and requested him to issue necessary instructions to the concerned authorities to address the grievance. The representation was submitted to the Speaker on January 26 by the UDITA Society for Welfare of Teachers.

In his letter, Gupta said the teachers’ body has alleged “gender discrimination and anomalies” arising from the existing seniority and promotion policies in the DoE. According to the representation, seniority lists for teachers are maintained separately on a gender basis, which has allegedly resulted in female teachers being disadvantaged in promotions.

It was claimed that women teachers are made to wait for years for promotion, while their male counterparts receive faster career advancement due to the current system.

The Speaker noted that the issue is also sub judice before the Delhi High Court. He requested the Lieutenant Governor to take necessary steps for consolidating the separate gender-based seniority lists at the earliest, before any further promotions are carried out.

No immediate response was available from the Delhi government’s Directorate of Education on the matter.