Jharkhand: Assistant teachers lay siege to assembly 

SUBHASH MISHRA

Ranchi, Dec 20: Thousands of assistant teachers from across the state on Tuesday gheraoed the assembly for implementing their 8-point charter of demands, including the pay scale payable to the minority school teachers.

As per their pre-announced programme, thousands of assistant teachers from across the state assembled here and gheraoed the assembly under the banner of the Jharkhand State Assistant Teachers Association.

MLAs support teachers 

Interestingly, besides the association leaders ruling party and opposition parties MLAs, including Lobin Hembrom (JMM),  Binod  Kumar Singh (CPIML), Amit Yadav and Dr Neera Yadav also addressed the meeting of assistant teachers and supported their demands.

A  section of the teachers protested against Dr Neera Yadav.l, a former education minister. She admitted that her government made a mistake but assured that it would be corrected if the BJP came into power in 2024.

Assistant Teachers Action Committee leaders, Binod Bihari Mahto, Sanjay Kumar Dubey, Siddique Sheikh and Hrishikesh Pathak were jointly leading the gherao agitation. Suman Singh and Belal Ahmed conducted the rally.

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Amit Yadav while addressing said that if the minority school teachers can be given a pay scale without assessment examination then why can not the assistant teachers be paid. JMM MLA Lobin Hembrom said that if the party has announced it in the election manifesto then the government will have to give the pay scale.

Demands of teachers

The main demands of Assistant Teachers are pay scale (9300- 34800) which is being given to the teachers of minority schools. Grade pay and other benefits at par with TET/ CTET passed government teachers.

Implementation of Service Rules announced by the then late education minister Jagarnath Mahto in 2021.

Enhancement of retirement age at 65 years from 60 years at par with Anganwadi Sevikas and Sahiyikas. Withdrawal of cases against assistant teachers filed by the then state government in 2018 across the state for agitation.

Immediate implementation of EPF scheme announced by late education minister Jagarnath Mahto. Immediate embargo on the appointment process for Assistant Acharya and recruitment of contractual assistant teachers who have been working since 20 years.

President Siddique Sheikh said that the gherao agitation was successful and the state government must read the writing on the wall. “Now we would chalk out a new strategy for agitation”, he said.

Action committee leaders Binod Tiwari, Praduman Kumar Singh, Vikash Kumar Choudhary, Virendra Ray, Narottam Singh Munda, Niranjan Kumar Dey, Sushil Kumar Pandey, Neli Lukus, Jaya Rani, Abhilash Jha, Shakil Ahmed and Bhagat Tiwari also addressed the rally.