Contractual teachers in Ludhiana seeking regularisation scale
The agitating teachers claimed that the state government had in July last regularised 12,700 teachers, but left 120 of them, as they had at the time not completed 10 years in service
Contractual teachers on Monday climbed atop a water tank in Jawahar Nagar Camp area to demand regularisation.
The agitating teachers claimed that the state government had in July last regularised 12,700 teachers, but left 120 of them, as they had at the time not completed 10 years in service.
“Many of us were just a few days short of the prerequisite period, and have now completed 10 years in contract,” said Sukhjeet Kaur, a member of the Kache Adhyapak Union, who was leading the protest said, adding that they are paid only ₹6,000 a month in their current positions.
Accusing the state government of putting off their regularisation, Kaur said “We met the education minister Harjot Singh Bains and he told us that we will be regularised in December. Then, we met the education department secretary and were told to wait until January, but no notice has been issued.”
The teachers first joined service in 2003 and left the job only to return in 2014 and have been working at the government school since.
Sub-divisional magistrate Dr Harjinder Singh, along with police officials, reached the spots and convinced the teachers to alight the water tank, assuring them an audience with chief minister (CM) Bhagwant Mann on January 26.
The teachers, however, said they will “gherao” the CM’s residence in case the promise is not kept.
Education minister Harjot Bains did not answer the calls when approached for a comment.
Notably, regularised contractual teachers do not enjoy the allowances and perks reserved for government officials, but the state government had through an order increased their salaries to ₹18,000 per month and added that they cannot be removed from the job until they reach the age of 58 years.
