GUWAHATI: The Sadou Asom Prathamik TET-Utrrino Shiskhak Samaj has strongly opposed the recent government decision to impose conditions on the service of contractual and state pool teachers, reports stated.
In a statement issued by the president of the Samaj, Trailokya Deka, it was expressed that the government's move to regularise the positions of 25,500 contractual teachers under Sarba Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) and 9,500 under the state pool in various districts is met with criticism, reports stated.
Deka stated that the government's decision to regularise the teachers' posts based on conditions is highly condemned by the association. “Under the Right to Education Act 2009 policy, TET was conducted in 2012, where candidates were appointed through a transparent process. But the candidates should have been appointed on a regular basis, but under the SSA, they were conditionally appointed,” media quoted Deka.
He continued, "The BJP in 2016 promised that all the contractual teachers’ posts would be regularised and if it comes to power, then in the first Cabinet meeting, it will take a decision on regularising the contractual teachers’ posts.”
Deka stated that Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma reiterated this commitment in his Independence Day speech in 2023, bringing hope to contractual teachers. “However, the condition that the Education Minister had put on for the contractual teachers has left the teachers with utters disappointment,” he added.
Deka highlighted the unacceptability of the government-imposed conditions, emphasising that such a decision lacks service value and disrupts the seniority of service. He pointed out the disparity in benefits between contractual and regular teachers, citing examples such as one-time financial aid for the family of a deceased contractual teacher versus a family pension for the family of a deceased regular teacher.