The decision of Uttarakhand High Court (HC) on the strike of teachers has forced the teacher organisations to rethink their strategy on agitation. Toughening its stand, the education department on Friday imposed the principle of ‘no work, no pay' on those participating in the strike. The HC on Friday asked the State Government to ensure that the teachers are back in the schools. The court has also asked the Government to conduct fresh recruitment if the teachers continue to strike.
Reacting on the HC order, State president of the Rajkeeya Shikshak Sangh (RSS) Ram Singh Chauhan said that the organisation is taking legal opinion on the matter and if need arises the teachers too would knock at the door of court. He said that strike of the lecturer and lecturer Teachers (lTs) would continue but quickly added that the orders of the court would be respected.
The teachers belonging to the RSS are on strike from September 12. Meanwhile the strike of RSS continued on the day with the teachers of Uttarkashi district holding protest meeting at the education directorate. On Friday some the female teachers have also threatened to sit on an indefinite hunger strike.
The court’s decision has caused concern among the rank and file of Junior High School Shikshak Sangh (JHSS) and Prathemik Shikshak Sangh (PSS) who are also on path of agitation. About 10000 teachers belonging to JHSS were on a mass causal leave on Friday. These teachers organised marches and held demonstrations at the offices of all District Magistrates (DM) of all districts. The state President of JHSS, Subhash Chauhan said that the teachers of junior high schools would hold demonstration at the state education directorate on September 22 and a massive march to the residence of state Chief Minister would be organised on September 23. The general secretary of the organisation of primary teachers, the Prathemik Shikshak Sangh (PSS), Digvijay Singh said that the organisation would hold rallies and Dharnas on September 19 and 20 in the state capital.
The teachers belonging to RSS are demanding provision of three days earned leave, increase in grade pays, assured career progression, regular annual transfers, a transparent transfer act and higher travel allowance. The JHSS demands implementation of three tier system of schools and increase in grade pay. The primary teachers are demanding that the proposed three tier system of teacher cadre in state should not be rushed through and should be implemented after solving the issue of promotions of primary teachers. It is demanding the upgraded schools should be managed separately and the benefit of Rs 17,140 scale to the teachers appointed after 2006.