Students in these two colleges, which are up to degree level, are without a Urdu teacher even as the semester examinations will commence after the Diwali vacations.

Mumbai: Since last five months, posts of Urdu teachers at two Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation-run (BMC) colleges are lying vacant as the civic body has failed to conduct a recruitment process to replace Urdu teachers who retired. 

Students in these two colleges, which are up to degree level, are without a Urdu teacher even as the semester examinations will commence after the Diwali vacations.

Around four to five months ago, the principal of R.C College in Mahim retired, and since then the college has been facing the issue of lack of teachers. According to Sahas Foundation, who has been involved in this matter, the ratio of the retirement of the teachers is much higher than the new recruitment. 

“We have sent an application to Ajoy Mehta, commissioner of BMC regarding the negligence in providing teachers for the sanctioned vacant posts in the college. But till date nothing positive has been heard,” said Sayed Furqan, president of Sahas Foundation. 

Apart from RC College, Imamwada Municipal College at Bhendi Bazar too is facing this problem. Both the D.Ed colleges which have 250 students in each class are lacking teachers. 

Mudassar Patel, an activist, said, “We visited the school to see the situation of students. It is very sad that they have to study in such a college, and that too without teachers.”  

One of the senior officials of the BMC education department on the condition of anonymity said, “We have now started putting out advertisements in newspapers and government-owned stalls so that teachers can know that BMC schools have vacancies for Urdu teachers and then we can complete the appointment process soon.” On Monday, the department will conduct a meeting to discuss the next step.