Prof Sachin Sanap has announced his candidature for the Maharashtra Legislative Council’s Pune Division Teachers’ Constituency, saying teachers should be represented in the legislature by someone with first-hand experience of the education sector.
Announcing his candidature on Thursday, Sanap said the constituency should be represented by someone who understands teachers’ concerns and classroom realities.
“Teachers’ representatives should be teachers. The fight for teachers’ rights cannot remain confined to the streets. It needs to be taken to the corridors of the Mantralaya and the floor of the legislature through legal and policy mechanisms. I will work to address teachers’ issues by combining my understanding of classroom realities with administrative experience,” Sanap said.
Sanap is an assistant professor of political science at Nowrosjee Wadia College and a trustee of the Modern Education Society. He has also served as an officer on special duty (OSD) in the offices of ministers handling the higher and technical education and industries departments, according to reports.
Among his key demands is implementation of the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) for all teachers appointed after November 1, 2005. His other demands include permanent exemption of teachers from non-academic duties such as election work, census and survey.
{{/usCountry}}Among his key demands is implementation of the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) for all teachers appointed after November 1, 2005. His other demands include permanent exemption of teachers from non-academic duties such as election work, census and survey.
{{/usCountry}}He has also called for transparent and immediate recruitment to vacant teaching and librarian posts in primary, secondary, higher secondary, technical and higher education institutions, including agricultural and non-agricultural universities.
Sanap has proposed cashless health insurance for teaching and non-teaching employees of aided and unaided institutions, as well as an increase in the retirement age from 58 to 60 years.
Highlighting his work in the education sector, Sanap said initiatives associated with the Modern Education Society included increasing honorariums for Clock Hour Basis (CHB) professors, providing cashless health insurance to unaided employees and facilitating compassionate appointments. He also said he had been involved through the Eklavya organisation in providing free schooling and competitive examination guidance to children of sugarcane-cutting workers.
His announcement comes days after the Maharashtra Teachers Democratic Front (TDF) selected education-sector administrator Kaustubh Muralidhar Gawade as its candidate for the constituency.