The Supreme Court has held that physical training instructors (PTIs) come within the definition of “teachers” though they may not necessarily take classes within the four walls of a building.
Physical training instructors impart to students the skills and rules of various sports and games.
“Merely because a PTI/Sports Officer is not expected to conduct classes within the four walls of a college, as in the case of a Professor/Associate Professor/Assistant Professor, would not by itself make him ineligible for being treated as a teacher for all practical purposes inasmuch as most sports require training in open spaces/fields/courts etc,” a Bench headed by Justice Hima Kohli clarified.
