PRAYAGRAJ, May 12 -- District inspectors of schools (DIoSs) will now be responsible for overseeing teacher promotions in all 4,512 government-aided secondary schools across Uttar Pradesh's 75 districts, until a new system is put in place. Following the merger of the UP Secondary Education Service Selection Board (UPSESSB) with the newly formed UP Education Service Selection Commission (UPESSC), the state government has revised the teacher promotion system, according to officials of the secondary education department. Previously, under UPSESSB rules, promotions were handled by a three-member committee chaired by the joint director (education), with the DIoS of the district and the principal of a government inter college as members. However, since the formation of the new commission in August 2023 and the subsequent merger of the selection board, the promotion process in government-aided schools came to a halt across the state-prompting protests from teachers' organisations. Now, special secretary (secondary education) Krishna Kumar Gupta has issued a letter to director (secondary education) Mahendra Dev, dated April 28, directing that until a new system is established, service-related matters of teachers in government-aided secondary schools be addressed under the provisions of the Intermediate Education Act, 1921. Confirming the development, DIoS-Prayagraj PN Singh said that orders have been received directing that all service matters of teachers be dealt with as per the Intermediate Education Act, 1921. Under this Act, DIoSs have the authority to settle all such matters, officials said. Following the order, promotion-related files that had been pending in the offices of the joint directors of education since August 2023 are being returned to the respective DIoSs for action. Former MLC and state president of the UP secondary teachers association, Suresh Kumar Tripathi, welcomed the move but said it should have been implemented earlier. "Due to the delay, teachers have not only suffered financial losses but also mental distress," he said....