Punjab teachers to besiege education minister’s seat in promotion row

Chandigarh: A coalition of 15 teacher unions has announced a mass state-level protest in Anandpur Sahib on Feb 22, escalating a bitter standoff with the Punjab govt over mandatory testing for veteran educators.The Democratic Teachers' Front (DTF) is leading the charge against an Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) govt directive that withholds promotions for teachers recruited before 2011 who have not cleared the State Teacher Eligibility Test (TET). By staging the rally in the constituency of education minister Harjot Singh Bains, union leaders aim to force a high-profile retreat on what they label "unjust" and "retrospective" policy implementation.The 2011 ‘Cut-Off' ConflictThe dispute centres on the Right to Education Act guidelines introduced in 2011. The DTF argues that the govt is unfairly applying modern standards to staff who were hired under an entirely different merit-based system. Teachers hired before the first TET was conducted in Punjab argue they met all legal criteria at the time of their appointment. Following a Supreme Court judgment, the Punjab education department now insists that clearing the TET is a prerequisite for career advancement, regardless of seniority.DTF's leadership, including state president Vikram Dev Singh, has resolved that committee members and district officials will refuse to sit for the examination, calling for a total boycott by all veteran staff.‘Selective' Legal Action?Teacher unions have accused the state govt of "high-handedness", claiming the administration is quick to implement court rulings that disadvantage employees while dragging its feet on "worker-friendly" mandates. The DTF highlighted several stalled promises, including equal pay for equal work (parity for long-serving staff), Punjab pay scale implementation delays for recruits hired after July 17, 2020, and the failure to grant full salary during mandatory probation periods.Govt Asked to Step InThe DTF is calling on the Punjab govt to move from passive compliance to active advocacy, demanding that the state formally petition to modify the Supreme Court ruling to exempt pre-2011 recruits from the testing condition. "These teachers were selected on merit and have served for over a decade," said general secretary Mahinder Korian Wali. "Imposing this condition at the promotion stage now is unreasonable and legally flawed." The union has warned the govt that the Feb 22 rally is merely the first step in a wider campaign of civil disobedience if it doesn't clarify its stance and provide immediate relief for those awaiting promotion.