Unaided college teachers stage demonstration at Ara

Kumar Rajiv Nayan

Ara : About 1,500 unaided college teachers and contractual teachers from Bhojpur, Patna, Buxar and Rohtas district  on April 1, 2017, took out a procession from Ramana Maidan, Ara, under the banner of ‘ Vitt Rahit Shiksha Sanyukt Sangharsh Morcha’ on the 18th day of their agitation.

The procession passed through the main thoroughfares of the town and culminated at the gate of Ara Collectorate where they staged demonstration to press their demands including pay parity with constituent college teachers, regularization of their service, abolition of contractual policy, payment of salary of last five years, creation of at least two post in each subject at Intermediate level, payment of evaluation work done last year, and introduction  service code on time.

These teachers are boycotting evaluation of Intermediate exam answer- books at both the evaluation centres in Bhojpur district : S B College, Ara,  and Town School, Ara, since March 15, 2017. They are also boycotting practical examination of Intermediate since March 30, 2017.

The agitating teachers said that the government had promised to release funds for unaided colleges. However, no financial assistance has come from the government. They said that they were putting demands before the state government for the last 37 years but to no avail so far. They said if the government does not concede their demands, they would boycott evaluation work of matriculation exam too.

Directors of the two evaluation centres said that the evaluation work had been adversely affected and could delay publication of results. Officials in these centres said that they have informed higher authorities about the situation.