Even issuing ultimatum to the all the protesters recently by the Department of School Education and literacy for joining their duty in stipulated time, none of the protesting groups are ready to back out and join their posts even then when the State Government has agreed to give 10 per cent salary hike.
Contravening the set guidelines issued by the State government, resource personnel including KGBV teachers, Jharkhand Education Project Council (JEPC) employees, para teachers including block resource personnel (BRP) and cluster resource personnel (CRP) are likely to continue their protest.
However, all the DCs have been instructed to constitute an Establishment Committee for carrying out fresh recruitments in their respective districts by the department considering the vulnerability of the matter and looking at the larger interest of candidates studying in Government schools.
“The State Government is taking all mandatory measures to tackle the situation at earliest. A fresh recruitment will be carried out now to fill all the vacant posts in schools. According to the figures available with the department, out of 1200 employees only 350 employees of KGBV are on strike whereas rest are delivering their duty on regular basis. Teachers appointed on contractual basis, security guards and office clerks are on duty. likewise, department is also in talk with other groups,” said JEPC Director, Mukesh Kumar.
On the other hand, protesters claimed that neither the officials nor the Minister are bothered on sorting out the mater or ready to hear their plea, as a result they are reluctant to continue the protest.
“We will continue our protest until all our demands are fulfilled. At present, we have a support of 40 MlAs and they all are in favour of our demands. Nearly, 700 people are on strike still neither the department Secretary nor the Minister has enquired about us so far. Though some officials have asked us to submit the data with all inputs of employees and we have received a positive response regarding Employees Provident Funds (EPF),” said, KGBV Sangh president, Rohini Prasad.
Similarly, JEPC Ranchi division Secretary, Pratap Kumar added, “There are rumors that few employees have rejoined their duties. At present, here in the State capital, people from seven different districts have gathered to support the protest. Despite, several attempts today we were unable to contact Minister, Neera Yadav. Furthermore, we will gherao the CM residence soon and put forward our demands,”
Beside KGBV employees, around 1400, JEPC employees are also on strike from September 14 demanding for payment as per the norms of sixth pay commission including a medical and group insurance. This apart, approximately 3600 BRPs and CRPs including 20,000 para teachers are also continuing their protest in different areas affecting approximately two lakh students studying at government schools in rural and semi-urban pockets across the State.