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A Bombay High Court ruling in the Dilip Aware case has made D.Ed-qualified teachers eligible for promotion, ending years of stagnation caused by uncounted service prior to B.Ed completion. The verdict is set to benefit thousands of teachers across Maharashtra.

Mumbai, Dec 25: High school teachers who started their careers with a Diploma in Education (D.Ed) will now be eligible for promotion, thanks to a High Court judgement in the case of Dilip Aware, a high school teacher from Balmohan Vidyamandir in Dadar.

Thousands Enter Teaching Through D.Ed Route

Every year, lakhs of aspiring teachers from across the state pursue a Diploma in Education right after passing the Secondary School Certificate (SSC).

“At the time, we did not have the means and resources to complete the 12th grade and opt for a bachelor’s degree, so we pursued higher education simultaneously while teaching in school,” said Aware.

Years of Service Ignored for Promotion

Aware completed his Bachelor of Arts and then pursued a Bachelor of Education; however, the experience of six years from his date of joining the school until completing his B.Ed was not accounted for while granting promotion, which kept him in Category F for a major portion of his service.

“I started working as a teacher in 1992 and, till 2025, I continued to remain a teacher. Had it not been for the case, there was no scope for me to become a supervisor or a headmaster,” said Aware.

How Teacher Categories Work Under Maharashtra Law

According to the Maharashtra Employees of Private Schools Act, 1977, teachers in schools are classified into alphabetical categories starting from A to F in descending order, with F being entry-level teachers and A being the headmaster. Category C is a leadership role such as supervisor.

B.Ed Clause Blocks Career Growth

The only clause to enter Category C is to have a B.Ed. “There are teachers who have much higher qualifications like MPhil or PhD, yet they were not considered for promotion,” said Varsha Ghag, another teacher who fought a similar case in the school tribunal.

Teachers Share Similar Experiences

“I started working in 1984 after obtaining a D.Ed, later pursued a Bachelor of Arts and then obtained a B.Ed. However, my five years of experience till the time of completing the B.Ed was not taken into account, because of which, despite being the senior-most teacher in the school, I was denied the position of headmaster,” said Ghag.

Every year, lakhs of aspiring teachers clear a Diploma in Education (D.Ed) to start working, while simultaneously clearing examinations for higher designations.

Court Orders Retrospective Benefits

The final judgement on a petition filed in 2017 stated that Aware should be given due placement in Category C and be entitled to the monetary benefits arising from it.

Ruling Has Wider Impact Across State

This judgement not only opens the door for D.Ed teachers but also for those with higher qualifications up to MPhil and PhD who were not promoted solely for not completing a B.Ed.

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Implementation Still a Concern

“There have been individual orders like this in the past. However, despite several notifications and orders, schools fail to implement them at the time of promotions,” said Aware.

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