Contractual teachers on MC poll duty miffed

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, February 21

The Election Commission is summoning contractual teachers and has deployed them on poll duty yet again, which is against the letter issued by the Chief Electoral Officer, Punjab, on April 4, 2014 (copy with The Tribune).

According to the letter, the presence of contractual teachers in poll duty was strictly prohibited.

Manraj Virk, state committee member of SSA/RMSA Teachers’ Union, said: “I am a contractual employee and am put on poll duty every time. The government is in no mood to regularise teachers but they do know how to exploit us.”

Renu Sharma, an SSA teacher, said: “I have completed seven years in service and we are still on contract. Every year our contract is renewed. There is no job security and we live in constant fear and pressure. We are burdened with the same amount of work as a regular teacher. We perform election duties with full spirit, but then why aren’t we made regular?”

Jagjit Singh, another contractual teacher for eight years, said: “In the event of any mishap at the time of elections, regular teachers are covered under insurance. However, there is no such policy for contractual teachers. We have been performing election duties for so many years, and our safety should not be overlooked. Ludhiana is such a tensed area that anything can happen. At least make us regular so that we do not feel secluded.”