Deadlock Between ‘aggrieved’ Ad Hoc Teachers And Govt. Continues; Meeting Scheduled For Sep. 25 - Eastern Mirror
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Nagaland

Deadlock between ‘aggrieved’ ad hoc teachers and govt. continues; meeting scheduled for Sep. 25

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By Our Correspondent Updated: Sep 21, 2018 11:12 pm
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Civil administration steps in between police and agitating teachers.

 

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Adhoc teachers pray in front of riot police.

 

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An adhoc teacher.

Our Correspondent

Kohima, Sep. 21 (EMN): The situation in the state capital Kohima, or at least a part of it became tense on Friday as the issue of regularisation of 1166 grade-III ad hoc teachers resurfaced and the ‘aggrieved’ teachers who wanted to stage a peaceful demonstration at the Civil Secretariat area with their demand was denied permission by the administration.

The teachers, who go by the name ‘All Nagaland Ad hoc Teacher’s Group (ANATG) 2015 Batch’, alleging that the state government was not just turning a blind eye to their ‘genuine demand’ but also denying them of the fundamental right to peaceful protest, converged at the NSF Solidarity Park, located below the Secretariat. The group held a meeting and decided to resume their agitation in the form of ‘hunger strike’, which they had suspended on July 1 last, until the government regularises their service. They also decided to go ahead with their demonstration and marched up to the Civil Secretariat area at around 1 pm, only to be intercepted by the riot police.

Officials from the civil administration intervened and tried to reason with the teachers’ group to turn back as they were not granted permission to stage the protest. The later contended that they wanted a written assurance from the government to consider their demand along with a time frame.

The ANATG is of the view that when the government was regularising many contractual appointees in various departments, why it was unable to apply the same yardstick to the 1166 ad hoc teachers who were appointed during the period 1995-2012 and have fulfilled all the criteria laid down by the department.

ANATG 2015 president Rüguotsolie, speaking to Eastern Mirror, pointed out that the present aggrieved grade-III ad hoc teachers were appointed against state sanctioned posts but as ad hoc appointees due to the recruitment policy of the government.

He said they had to complete a minimum three-year service and appear the suitability test in May 2017, of which, all the present 1166 grade-III ad hoc teachers had passed, including other necessary clearances from the School Education as well as Personnel and Administrative Reforms departments.

He informed that the ad hoc teachers under ANATG 2015 were receiving a meagre amount of INR 6600 primary teachers and INR 8400 for graduate teachers per month, whereas regularised teachers were earning three-four times more than what they were getting.

The ANATG 2015 Batch lamented that its numerous representations, memorandums and ultimatums to the government on the issue have failed to yield any positive outcome. The teachers, although aggrieved, have the highest concern for students, a member of the group said. He informed that they had utilised their summer vacation to stage their previous agitation outside the directorate of School Education in June. After the group decided to suspend the agitation, he said they have all been attending duty until yesterday. Therefore, he pointed out that they, as teachers, have not been neglecting their responsibilities and duties.

“We are only seeking for ‘equal pay for equal work’ through our demand for service regularisation,” another teacher asserted.

Following hours of silent face-off, and after the intervention of the Naga Students’ Federation, Eastern Naga Students’ Federation and the All Nagaland School Teachers’ Association, it was learnt that the state government has issued a letter to the ANATG to have a sitting on September 25. Advisor for School Education KT Sukhalu is expected to be present in the meeting.

6103
By Our Correspondent Updated: Sep 21, 2018 11:12:51 pm
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