Hundreds of contractual teachers in Chandigarh’s Education Department (Schools) should be regularized in their respective posts. Teachers under the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA), STT, CRC, and URC, who were recruited following all regulations despite being on unapproved posts and have been providing satisfactory service for years, should be given permanent posts and regularized.
Under the banner of the Joint Action Committee, teachers from all categories lashed out at the administration in the convention held here today, for failing to meet their legitimate demands.
The teachers alleged that they have been serving in various government schools in Chandigarh for the past 14 to 24 years, but the administration has not formulated any secure policy for their job security nor regularized them. Due to this, more than 500 guest/contract teachers in the education department constantly fear losing their jobs, which forces them to work in an environment of fear, making it difficult to focus entirely on teaching.
Similarly, the demand was raised to create regular posts for teachers and staff under the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan and appoint them permanently. CRC and URC teachers are not being given TGT scale, and STT teachers’ salaries are not being increased.
It should be noted that these teachers have been serving in the education department for the last 14 to 24 years. They have demanded job security and other benefits from the administration.
Thousands of teachers and staff participated in this convention under the banner of the Joint Action Committee of Teachers. The convention was addressed by Ranbir Rana, Savinder Singh, Bhag Singh, Khushali Sharma, Dinesh Patial, Kesar Singh, Rajinder Kumar, Shiv Murat, Gurpreet Kaur, and others.
The Joint Action Committee believes that when the government and administration fail to provide proper facilities to teachers, how can they ensure a bright future for children? Although the current MP Manish Tiwari and former MP Kirron Kher have repeatedly promised to regularize contract employees in their election agendas, Chandigarh administration has yet to take any concrete steps.
Another burning issue was the absence of a deputation policy in the Central Service Rules. A demand was raised to implement a deputation policy in Chandigarh’s Education Department, similar to other departments under the Chandigarh administration, and to abolish the deputation quota.
General Secretary Shiv Murat Yadav stated that thousands of guest/contract/SSA teachers working in the education department feel deceived as they are not being given any benefits for their decades of service. Their salaries and dearness allowances are being withheld, which affects the quality of education, making improvements visible only on paper, not in reality.
The President of the Joint Action Committee of Teachers, Ranbir Singh Rana, warned the department that if they do not address the demands of all categories of teachers soon, all teachers will be forced to take to the streets, and the education department and administration will be held responsible. He also emphasized ending the deputation system in Chandigarh.
These teachers demand that guest/contract teachers working for the last 14 to 24 years be regularized in their existing posts or given job security. Additionally, regular posts should be created under the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, CRC and URC teachers should be granted TGT scale, release pending DA of Guest/Contract and SSA Teachers,STT teachers’ salaries should be increased, vice principal posts should be created, Casual leave of regular Teachers should be increased , benefits of MACP , and counselors should receive salaries during vacations, among other demands presented in a memorandum.
Savinder Singh, Chairman of the Joint Action Committee of Teachers, demanded timely promotions for all categories of regular teachers, immediate DPC for principals, issuance of health cards as per central regulations, creation of Posts of Vice Principal in all Government schools, increase the number of C- leaves for regular teachers and restoration of previous half-pay/medical leave policies. He further added that delegation of JAC will meet the higher authorities of education department and Member Parliament of Chandigarh for early solution of demands of teachers. If Education department fails to give positive response to the genuine demands of teachers,JAC will start strong agitation.
To support these demands, several union representatives from Chandigarh participated in the convention under the banner of the Joint Action Committee of Teachers and endorsed the teachers’ demands.
