The High Court on Monday stayed for six months the results of the primary assistant teacher recruitment tests of 14 districts.

The HC bench of Justice Sheikh Hassan Arif and Justice Md Mahmud Hassan Talukder passed the order following a petition filed by a lawyer.

It also issued a rule asking the government to explain as to why the publication of the results of the recruitment tests should not be declared illegal.

Primary and mass education secretary, director general of the Directorate of Primary Education (DPE), district education officers and others concerned of the 14 districts have been made respondents to the rule which is returnable in four weeks.

The 14 districts are Mymensingh, Netrakona, Noakhali, Patuakhali, Madaripur, Sirajganj, Naogaon, Chapainawabganj, Habiganj, Jashore, Satkhira, Tangail, Thakurgaon and Barguna.

Advocate Mohammad Asad Uddin stood for the petitioner while Deputy Attorney General Bipul Bagmar represented the state.

Advocate Asaduzzaman said according to section 7 of Government Primary School Teacher Recruitment rules 2013, 60 percent posts are kept aside for women candidates while 20 percent for dependents and the rest 20 percent for male candidates.

As the rules were not maintained, he, on behalf of 46 teachers, filed the petition challenging the publication of the results.

On January 15, the High Court stayed the results of the primary assistant teacher recruitment test of Nilphamari and Barguna districts published on December 24.

On the same day, the recruitment process of Naogaon and Bhola were also suspended for the same reason.

The government on July 30, 2019, published a circular for recruiting assistant teachers across the country.

A total of 24 lakh candidates applied for the posts. The written tests were held in four phases – on May 24, May 31, June 21 and June 28 — last year.

Some 55,295 people came out successful in the written tests while 18,147 qualified for the posts after the viva-voce tests in 61 districts.