Teachers across Ludhiana marked September 5 with demonstrations, as meritorious school staff staged a protest to demand job regularisation while Arya College faculty carried out a silent candle march against management inaction over delayed appointment of a regular principal.
The Meritorious Teachers’ Union staged a protest outside the local meritorious school, raising slogans against the state government over delayed regularisation and unfulfilled service benefits. He urged the government to take a concrete decision on regularising their services. Union leaders warned that the agitation will be intensified if the government failed to address their demands. Protesters walked with candles and covered their mouths with black cloth to protest alleged suppression, backed by the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) Punjab and faculty from other regional colleges. The Arya College agitation, now in its fifth week, stems from the management keeping an officiating principal in office for over four years without university approval. Faculty members also highlighted grievances including stalled Career Advancement Scheme (CAS) promotions, withheld salaries, arbitrary charge-sheets issued to seven teachers, and pending UGC seventh pay commission retirement benefits.
Arya College teachers hold candle march Simultaneously, around 100 Arya College teachers staged a peaceful, symbolic candle march outside the residence of managing committee member Sunil Sharma under the banner of the Punjab and Chandigarh College Teachers’ Union (PCCTU).
Union district president Lakhvir Singh said, “It is unfortunate that teachers shaping the future of Punjab’s children are themselves facing uncertainty over their careers. The teachers said their protest would continue until their demands were resolved. Raman Sharma, a faculty member, said more candle marches would be organised outside residences of other management members if no decision was taken on their demands.
