UP Police Lathi-Charge On 10,000 Teachers Rallying For Jobs, Many Injured

On May 29, Uttar Pradesh police lathi-charged applicants of B.Ed TET (Teacher Eligibility Test) 2011 in Lucknow who were rallying for jobs. In the clash between the protesters and the police, the candidates pelted stones in retaliation. As per reports, 10,000 people took part in the rally and were trying to march towards CM Adityanath’s residence to protest over non-fulfilment of their demands.

Many police personnel and protesters got injured. Reports also say that two roadway buses and many trains were stuck due to the confrontation between the police and the demonstrators in the Lucknow cantonment area. Thousands of candidates also intended to gherao the assembly and demand appointment letters.

Qualified and yet without a job since 2011

As reported by Times Now, these aspirants were promised jobs way back in 2011. However, in the last seven years, the successive governments failed to do so. After Yogi Adityanath came to power, he assured them jobs, but nothing has been done up till now. More than 12,500 candidates have been protesting for last several years.

On November 30, 2011, an advertisement for filling up 72,825 posts was released by the Uttar Pradesh government. Candidates for these posts were to be recruited by TET scores. Some candidates challenged this decision in Allahabad High Court. They demanded recruitment be done on academic merit.

Meanwhile, in 2012, Samajwadi Party (SP) came to power and put out a new advertisement based on academic merit. The government released the advertisement on December 7, 2012, cancelling the previous one based on TET scores.

During the trial, Allahabad court recognised the first advertisement as the right way to recruit the teachers. This order came in November 2014. The SP government moved the Supreme Court against this order. According to the candidates, the SC on July 25, 2017, considering the new advertisement as correct, gave interim orders for recruitment. However, even after the assurance of Chief Minister, the recruitment was not done.

According to an India Today report, the total number of sanctioned post for elementary teachers in UP is 7,59,898. Out of which 1,74,666 posts are lying vacant. In 2009, Right to Education Act gave National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) the authority to structure the guidelines for the appointment of teachers. NCTE made it compulsory for teachers to clear TET. In 2014, the Uttar Pradesh government, passed an amendment to the Basic Shiksha Adhyapak Sewa Niyamawali, 1981, to regularise Shiksha Mitras over the next two years.