Facing uncertainty, 9 from Ludhiana join 253 teachers’ Dhuri protest

Although the department has extended their services till November 17, uncertainty over their future continues, with the affected teachers warning of intensifying their agitation if their demands are not met

Nine master cadre teachers from Ludhiana district are among the 253 teachers facing termination by the Punjab School Education Board, prompting them to join a protest march in chief minister Bhagwant Mann’s constituency, Dhuri, on Saturday. The teachers marched through different markets, raising slogans against the government and demanding the withdrawal of the termination orders.

The affected teachers alleged that several candidates who had secured higher marks were dropped from the revised list. (HT)

Although the department has extended their services till November 17, uncertainty over their future continues, with the affected teachers warning of intensifying their agitation if their demands are not met.

The protest began near the government hospital and culminated at the chief minister’s Suvidha Kendra. Addressing the gathering, the teachers said they had been working in government schools for nearly three-and-a-half years but were now facing termination due to changes in the recruitment merit list.

Gursharan Kumar, who joined as a Hindi master at Government Senior Secondary School, Hambowal Bet, Ludhiana, in May 2023, said, “This is a black Diwali for us. While the entire country is celebrating, we are left with our jobs snatched.”

One of the protesting teachers from Ludhiana said the recruitment process for 4,161 master cadre posts was initiated in December 2021, with the written examination held in August 2022. They alleged that errors in the answer key prepared by the examination agency, NIELIT, affected the selection process. Following a legal challenge, the Punjab and Haryana high court directed subject experts from Guru Nanak Dev University and other universities to review the answer key, after which revised merit lists were prepared.

“However, the department subsequently revised the selection lists again, following the court’s directions, and issued termination notices to 253 teachers on October 28,” added Kumar. The affected teachers alleged that several candidates who had secured higher marks were dropped from the revised list.

They demanded an independent CBI probe into the recruitment process and warned of intensifying their agitation if justice was not delivered.

Deputy district education officer (secondary) Amandeep Singh said, “We have been informed by the higher authorities that these teachers will not be relieved till November 17.”