2 unemployed teachers jump into Bhakra canal, rescued

Two protesting unemployed teachers jumped into the Bhakra canal near Passiana village on the Patiala-Sangrur road on Sunday, but were rescued and by a team of divers stationed at a bridge

Two protesting unemployed teachers jumped into the Bhakra canal near Passiana village on the Patiala-Sangrur road on Sunday, but were rescued and by a team of divers stationed at a bridge.

A protester jumps into the Bhakra canal during a demonstration by unemployed TET-pass BEd teachers against the Punjab government, in Patiala on Sunday. (PTI)

Seeking jobs, unemployed BEd, ETT (elementary teacher training) and TET (teacher eligibility test) qualified teachers staged protests at three different places in Patiala on Sunday.

When the unemployed BEd, ETT (elementary teacher training) and TET (teacher eligibility test) qualified teachers were on their way to gherao the chief minister’s residence, police resorted to cane-charge to restrict their movement. Over 100 protestors were detained for a brief period.

State president of the Unemployed TET-Pass ETT Teachers’ Union Deepak Kamboj said two of their members protesting near the Bhakra canal bridge jumped into the water body. “They were upset with the government for not paying heed to our demands. Both were rescued,” he said.

The unions said they were assured that the chief minister will make a formal announcement for their recruitment anytime soon, but nothing has happened to date.

The unemployed TET-ETT teachers are demanding a notification for the recruitment for all 12,000 vacant posts of teachers and increase in the upper age limit to 42 years.

Similarly, the unemployed BEd teachers are demanding a job notification for at least 15,000 posts and unemployment allowance of ₹2,500. Besides, they are asking the government to end the minimum requirement of 55% marks in graduation for backlog posts in the handicap quota.