Akanksha Attri, Ludhiana
The lecturers of meritorious schools across Punjab are awaiting regularisation and alleged that there is lack of proper increments since their recruitment in 2014.
Despite delivering results across the state in board exams as well as competitive examinations, the lecturers of meritorious schools decry no acknowledgement from the government for their efforts.
Punjab Meritorious Teachers Union coordinator Rakesh Kumar said they have been recruited through Meritorious Society. “We were recruited through a proper channel by clearing four tests, including a demo and an interview. We were assured be regularised soon, but for the past eight years, the government has been all talk and no action.” Meanwhile, a total of 25 lecturers selected for meritorious schools in 2023, did not join due to non-regularisation of meritorious lecturers, Kumar added.
Kumar said there were four meritorious schools initially, later increased to 10 in 2016. Post which the regularisation of meritorious school lecturers was formally announced. “Another announcement for the same was made in 2018. Out union met the Punjab education minister Harjot Singh Bains, twice regarding the same issue, first in April and then in August last year. Bains gave an assurance of regularising us within 100 days,” Kumar added.
Another coordinator of the union Ajay Sharma said, “We are drawing a salary of ₹42,576 with no allowances. Since 2014, there have been just two increments.” As many as 8,886 Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA), Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA) and government model school teachers were regularised, except for 311 meritorious teachers. Most of the students who cleared the JEE Mains this year are from the meritorious schools and 2,077 students of the same scored more than 90% in Class 12 examination.
Director general secondary education Vinay Bublani said, “The schools were built under policies of different governments and the teachers were recruited through various frameworks. The government has already regularised the volunteers, recruited through Panchayats. The regularisation for meritorious lecturers is in the pipeline, but nothing has been finalised as of now.”
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