Pressing for Permanent Status, Hundreds of 'Shiksha Mitras' in UP Shave Off Their Heads

Lucknow: Hundreds of 'shiksha mitras' or contractual teachers pressing for better pay and appointment as assistant teachers tonsured their heads in protest in Lucknow on Wednesday.

Both men and women shaved off their heads while many protesting Brahmins gave up their janaeu (sacred thread) and alleged that the current Yogi Adityanath regime is ignoring people from both Brahmin and Kshatriya community.

(A Shiksha mitra getting his head tonsured)

Under the banner of Uttar Pradesh Shikshamitra Sangh thousands of contractual teachers are observing the day as black day and sitting on a dharna at the Eco Garden in Lucknow for around 50 days.

The demands made by the contractual teachers include their appointment as permanent teachers; those who have passed the TET should be given the appointment without written examination.

CM Yogi Adityanath had also met a six-member delegation of 'shiksha mitras' on June 13 and had promised to resolve the issue soon.

In 2015, in a setback to nearly two lakh contractual teachers in primary schools across Uttar Pradesh, the Allahabad High Court declared as illegal the State government’s move to regularise 'shiksha mitras' and appoint them as Assistant Teachers.

'Shiksha mitras' were appointed during the BSP rule in the state and had been provided a two-year Basic Training Course (BTC) meant for primary teachers through distance education.

In 2012, the newly-elected Samajwadi Party government initiated the populist measure of regularising the 'shiksha mitras' by bringing in the amendments.

Uttar Pradesh has over 1.73 lakh 'shiksha mitras' who teach in primary schools. Their jobs were regularised by the state government in 2014.

In 2017, the Supreme Court quashed their appointment and declared that their contractual positions would not be converted into government jobs unless they clear TET.

After the apex court’s judgment the salary of the contractual teachers came down to Rs 3500 from the earlier Rs 38,848. However, the Yogi Adityanath government increased the salary of contractual teachers from Rs 3500 to Rs 10,000.