Exams ongoing, reschedule training: Teachers’ union
Educators have urged the department to reschedule sessions to September after half-yearly exams, to prevent overlapping
Government schoolteachers across the district have raised concerns over the state education department’s scheduling of training sessions for key resource persons organised for 2024-25 academic year during the pre-board exams. The educators have urged the department to defer these sessions to September, after half-yearly exams, to avoid disrupting academic preparations.

The first phase of the training for master cadre teachers began on Friday, with sessions for lecturers scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday.
According to the timetable released by the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT), pre-board exams for classes 9 and 10 are set to start on January 20, while those for classes 11 and 12 commence on January 18. Additionally, term-2 exams for classes 1-8 are scheduled between January 20 and January 30. Teachers are also required to conduct parent-teacher meetings on February 1, with final exams starting from February 19.
The educators argue that the overlapping schedules leave them overburdened and unable to adequately support their students. They have urged the department to conduct these sessions after the half-yearly exams in September, ensuring minimal disruption to the academic calendar.
Dharamjeet Singh Dhillon, state finance secretary of the Lecturer Cadre Union (LCU), said: “We support training seminars as they update us on modern teaching methods, but scheduling them during pre-board exams is poor planning. Teachers are already stretched thin due to extra duties and staff shortages, directly impacting student performance. Despite raising this issue last year, no action has been taken.”
Davinder Singh, general secretary of the union, said: “These seminars are valuable for enhancing our teaching practices, but their timing is a major issue. Teachers are busy preparing test papers and managing pre-board responsibilities. Conducting them after September would be far more practical.”
Daljit Singh Samrala, district president of the Democratic Teachers’ Front (DTF), said: “State-level training is followed by district-level sessions a week later, creating additional stress for teachers. With many lecturer positions vacant, teachers are often left managing entire subjects alone, making it impossible to take time off during exam season.”
The teachers have urged the department to reconsider the schedule to balance professional development with student needs.