Teachers’ association stages protest in Silchar, calls for regularisation of jobs

The Elementary TET Qualified Teachers’ Association staged a sit-in protest in front of Cachar deputy commissioner’s office in Silchar on Thursday demanding regularisation of their jobs.

Around 3:30pm this afternoon, the association members gathered in front of the deputy commissioner’s office and staged the demonstration. They chanted slogans in unison strongly demanding that their jobs be regularised at the earliest.

One of the members said they had been raising the demand since 2015 and had also spoken to education minister Himanta Biswa Sarma in the past in this regard, but no step was taken till date. Fresh appointments are being given in the name of regularisation and in this process, those who have already qualified the TET examination, have to compete against fresh candidates again, he said. He demanded that the contractual teachers’ jobs be unconditionally regularised. Besides, he demanded that the grade pay of graduate teachers be made Rs. 8700.

Another member said they would not remain silent till the matter is resolved and threatened to intensify their protest if their demand is not fulfilled soon.

A memorandum was later submitted to Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal (through Cachar deputy commissioner) seeking his intervention into the matter. Further, the members threatened to boycott Gunotsav if their demand is not fulfilled. Members including president Jhantu Kumar Malakar, general secretary Sumit Das and Joydeep Kumar Saha among others were present. The demonstration concluded around 4:45pm.