Manish Sisodia meets L-G Anil Baijal over student loans

New Delhi: Following lieutenant-governor Anil Baijal flagging concerns on the Delhi government’s loan scheme for higher education, deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia on Friday met the L-G and submitted the proposal for his approval after incorporating his concerns. Mr Sisodia said that the L-G and the AAP government are on the same page on providing loans to students for higher education and making guest teachers permanent.

Mr Sisodia said he met Mr Baijal earlier in the day during which the latter felt that the loan scheme should not be stopped. He said that the L-G wanted his suggestions to be incorporated in the scheme, but most of these had already been included. “I’ve submitted the files again (to the L-G) and I hope he will appr-ove,” Mr Sisodia said.

Mr Baijal had earlier asked the Aam Aadmi Party government to take the Centre’s opinion on student loans. But this would have set the scheme back by two to three years, Mr Sisodia, who holds the education portfolio, said.

On the issue of around 15,000 guest teachers in Delhi whom the AAP government plans to make permanent in service, Mr Sisodia said Mr Baijal was worried about the teaching vacancies in government schools.

Mr Sisodia said he told the L-G that making guest teachers permanent was the easiest way to fill the vacancies.

On Wednesday, the Delhi Cabinet approved a bill to make 15,000 guest teachers in government schools permanent. It will be taken up at the Delhi Assembly’s special session on October 4.

The assembly on August 10 put on hold the recruitment of teachers by the Delhi Subordinate Services Selection Board (DSSSB) till the criteria to give weightage to guest teachers was readied.

On Thursday, Mr Baijal asked Mr Sisodia to recommence recruitment of teachers by DSSSB, adding that teachers’ vacancies were affecting academics.”Hiring new teachers will take two-three years and it will in turn derail the good work we’ve been doing in the Delhi education system,” Mr Sisodia said.

Mr Sisodia said he hoped the Delhi government will get Mr Baijal’s support on the issue.