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Jobless ETT teachers protest outside CM Bhagwant Mann’s house in Sangrur
Unemployed ETT teachers on Saturday staged a protest outside the residence of chief minister (CM) Bhagwant Mann seeking to complete the recruitments advertised by the government
Unemployed ETT teachers on Saturday staged a protest outside the residence of chief minister (CM) Bhagwant Mann seeking to complete the recruitments advertised by the government.
They gathered at the BSNL park and then marched towards the CM’s residence. However, the police stopped them at the entrance of the private colony where the CM’s house is located.
They said the education department had issued advertisements for the recruitment of 2,364 teachers in March 2020; 6,635 in July and 5,964 in December last year. The recruitment of 2,364 teachers was cancelled and that of 6,635 was stayed by a court while the hiring of 5,964 teachers has not been started yet.
Deepak Kamboj, president of the unemployed TET pass teachers’ union, said, “We are just demanding a meeting with the CM. The government had issued advertisements for three recruitments. None of them has been completed. The government should complete all these recruitments.”
“Four CMs have changed in the state in the last 11 years, but the situation of unemployed teachers remains the same. If anything has changed, it is the place of our protest,” Kamboj said.
“We are fulfilling all the criteria prescribed to get a job, cleared all mandatory exams and even appeared in the merit lists of recruitments. But we are still unemployed due to the lackadaisical approach of governments. My name appeared twice on the merit list, but the recruitment got cancelled or stayed by courts owing to shortcomings and wills of governments,” he said.
Deep Banarsi (24), a union leader, said, “The state government had released three advertisements for the recruitment of ETT teachers in the last few years and we appeared on the merit list during the hiring process. One recruitment was cancelled and another was stayed due to the failure of the state government while the third recruitment has remained only in the advertisement.”
Lekh Singh, 33, said, “Finally, the government had started recruitment last year. I was in the merit list, but to no avail.”
The teachers said despite their long struggle of over a decade, their fate still hangs in the balance.
Secretary, education, Ajoy Sharma, said, “A review petition has been filed in the high court in the case of recruitment of 2,364 teachers while the case of 6,635 teachers is also in the court. The decision in both these cases will be taken as per the court’s order whenever it comes. Besides, we will start recruitment of 5,964 teachers soon.”
