Trainee teachers stage relay hunger strike in Himachal Pradesh

KULLU - Scores of Junior Basic Trained (JBT) trainee teachers, who are undergoing training at various District Institutes of Education and Training (DIET) in Himachal Pradesh, have gone on a relay hunger strike from Monday.

They are demanding that the state government honour their bonds, as it did with the preceding batches.

The bond, a contract with the state government, decrees that teacher trainees would be given permanent jobs. But the state government has said these jobs would be based on renewable contracts and added that teachers would not become permanent employees of state-run institutions.

They said the state government has said that contractual jobs would be offered for future batches but the current batch would be given permanent jobs. They accused the government of going back on its word.

“I want to ask the state government that when did they specify that our bonds would not be fulfilled then why is the government, and the education department forcing this provision on us (now)?” said Naresh, state secretary of Junior Basic Teacher Trainee Federation.

The teachers also threatened that they would continue with their agitation unless their demands are met.

Last year, JBT teachers had demonstrated against the state government’s decision to give them contractual jobs. The government had given in to their demands and gave them permanent employ.

There are 1750 JBT teachers who are taking training in various government institutes in Himachal Pradesh. (ANI)