Ludhiana: Lecturers decry promotion delays amid vacant posts

According to figures released by the Democratic Teachers’ Front, nearly 1,000 posts of principals are lying vacant in government senior secondary schools across Punjab

Lecturers serving in government schools across the state have strongly denounced the government’s decision to hold the promotions despite the recent alteration in the promotion quota. Expressing deep resentment, the teachers argued that the move has dashed their long-standing hopes of career advancement.

For several lecturers, it is about retiring after years of dedicated service without ever being recognised with a single elevation in rank. (HT File Photo)

For several lecturers, the grievance runs deeper than just a stalled promotion, it is about retiring after years of dedicated service without ever being recognised with a single elevation in rank. “After serving more than 30 years in the department, I will retire in a few days without getting even a single promotion, for which we have been fighting for so long,” said Sukhbir Singh, a lecturer from Faridkot.

Maninder Kaur, a lecturer from Ludhiana, echoed similar frustration. “Every time a tentative seniority list is prepared, a few objections come up and the promotions are stalled. This is unfair to the majority. The state has hundreds of schools functioning without principals, yet promotions are kept on hold,” she said.

Recently, the government announced that vacant principal positions would now be filled under a revised 75:25 ratio, where 75% of the posts will be filled through promotions and 25% through direct recruitment. But teachers argue that the constant delays in promotions make this quota meaningless for many who are on the verge of retirement.

According to figures released by the Democratic Teachers’ Front, nearly 1,000 posts of principals are lying vacant in government senior secondary schools across Punjab. The problem is acute in Ludhiana, where more than 42% of posts remain unfilled, and in Mansa, where the vacancy rate has soared to 82%. In many cases, a single principal has been assigned officiating charge of three to four schools, creating an enormous workload and affecting the day-to-day functioning of institutions.

Administrative secretary of school education, Anindita Mitra, acknowledged the issue and said, “There were discrepancies in the seniority list on the basis of which promotions were to be done. It might take another 15 to 20 days to correct the list, after which promotions will be processed.”