Protest by teachers in Bhopal, opposition to compulsory TET

Bhopal: Under the banner of 'Adhyapak-Shikshak Sangh Morcha', teachers from across the state staged a massive protest in the state capital on Saturday. The protest, held at the Dussehra Maidan, was part of the 'Chief Minister's Yatra' program, and was attended by approximately 50,000 teachers from various districts. At the conclusion of the program, the teachers submitted a memorandum to the MP Nagar SDM, apprising them of their demands.

The leaders of the Sangh Morcha warned that if the government does not take a decision on their demands soon, they will launch a larger movement in June. Bharat Patel, president of the Singh, also issued a warning to the government. Jagdish Yadav, convener of the Morcha, said that if the government wants to conduct exams, teachers should be given sufficient time and not burdened with additional tasks like census work. He also stated that it is not appropriate to impose the Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) on teachers who are already employed, as they had fulfilled all the necessary qualifications at the time of their appointment. Imposing new conditions after 20-25 years of service is unfair, he said.

According to the teachers, the recent Supreme Court order has affected 90-95% of the state's teachers, particularly those who were previously 'Adhyapak' and later joined the teacher cadre. These teachers had started their jobs on low salaries and are still struggling with issues like pension, gratuity, and service tenure. The Sangh Morcha accused the government of not counting service time from the date of appointment, resulting in financial losses. The imposition of the TET condition has added to their woes, and they fear that their pension and gratuity will be reduced in the future.

During the protest, a large crowd gathered at the Dussehra Maidan, which led to the pandal being overcrowded, and many teachers had to sit under trees. Due to police barricading, protesters had to park their vehicles at a distance and walk to the program venue. It is worth noting that prior to this, protests had already been held at the district level on April 8 and at the block level on April 11. This state-level protest was held as part of the same series. Finally, the teachers submitted a memorandum to the MP Nagar SDM and demanded a swift resolution, ending their peaceful protest.