UP Govt. New Urdu Teachers Only with one Wife Only

Polygamous men, their wives ineligible for Urdu teacher post in UP

• HT Correspondent, Hindustan Times, Lucknow
 |  
• Updated: Jan 13, 2016 09:50 IST
• • http://www.hindustantimes.com/india/polygamous-men-their-wives-ineligible-for-urdu-teacher-post-in-up/story-TFP3QCQmvls1yPowyX3aXO.html

Men who have more than one wife will not be eligible for the post of assistant Urdu teachers in schools under the basic education department of Uttar Pradesh.

In a notification issued recently, it has been stated that those applying for the post of Urdu teachers should not have more than one wife.

Further, female teachers should not be married to a person who has more than one living wife.

The state government has decided to recruit 3,500 Urdu teachers before the beginning of the new session.

Beside other terms and conditions, the issue of marital status has been specifically clarified in the notification, explaining the eligibility criteria for candidates applying for the post of Urdu assistant teachers.

As a result, applicants will have to provide details regarding their marriage status while applying for the job.

“Such conditions apply in general for jobs offered in the state. In certain cases they are specified more clearly,” said Grijesh Chaudhary, additional director, basic education department, Agra.

Confirming what Chaudhary said, minister of state for basic education Waseem Ahmed, however, added that there were no specific norms for Urdu teachers.

Two wives? You won't qualify as an Urdu teacher in UP

Ishita Mishra | TNN | Jan 12, 2016, 10.48 PM IST

Agra: Triggering howls of protests from Muslims in Uttar Pradesh, the Akhilesh Yadav-led Samajwadi Party government has issued notices for appointment of 3,500 Urdu teachers that says, "All those who have two wives, both living, will be considered non-eligible for the post. Also, female candidates who are married to a man who has two wives, both living, will also be considered non-eligible." While government officials say the caveat is to prevent confusion over who would be paid the widow or widower's pension, the Muslim Personal Law Board says these riders are a violation of the rights of Muslims. The government order states that candidates must reveal marital status. "The marital status section has a clause that all those who have two wives, both living, will be considered non-eligible. Women candidates married to a man with two wives are also not eligible," an education department official told TOI on Tuesday.

The official added that the proviso is not meant for Urdu teachers alone, but for all teachers in the government system. Those seeking to apply for the post - applications will begin to be accepted from January 19 for the vacancies that were announced through government orders of January 5 and 8 - have objected to the conditions laid down. "Our religion allows us four marriages. This condition would mean that Muslims could be barred from these posts," said Mohd Anwar, who wishes to teach in a government school. Additional director Grijesh Chaudhary of basic education department told TOI, "Government orders apply equally to all staff, whether they are teachers of Urdu or another subject. The reason for this is to avoid confusion in the distribution of pension. There are at present 3,500 positions for Urdu teachers that need to be filled. Of these, 101 are in Agra." 
Maulana Khalid Rasheed Firangi Mahali, Imam of Lucknow's Eidgah and member of the Muslim Personal Law Board, said, "The government cannot impose such conditions when it comes to recruitment of staff. There is a provision for four marriages in Islam, even though just about one percent of Muslim men have two wives. Even so, such conditions should not become part of the job application process." He said that if the man leaves behind two wives, the government can divide the pension between the two. "If the government has other issues, we can think of solutions," he said. Sunni theologian Maulana Tauqeer Raza Khan from Bareilly said, "Such rules for appointment are discriminatory. I will take this matter up with higher authorities."