700 ETT educators take up promotion issue with Punjab govt
Neha Saini
Amritsar, June 28
Around 700 ETT teachers across the state, who have been waiting for their promotion for the last seven years, seem to have once again raised the issue with the government as the AAP government makes claims to improve the education system and work towards strengthening teaching force in government schools.
In Amritsar district alone, more than 200 elementary teachers are waiting for their promotion to master cadre as the promotion procedure remains stuck in the system. ETT teachers said despite the fact that many of them have completed BEd, which is a prerequisite for promotion to the master cadre in the Education Department, they have not been promoted yet, while there are ETT teachers working in primary schools for nearly a two decades and on the verge of retirement.
A delegation of ETT teachers from Amritsar, Ferozepur, Sangrur, Patiala, Fatehgarh Sahib, and Mohali met the officials concerned on the matter.
“We met the officials concerned in the Personnel and Finance Department today, who assured us that the departmental approvals and file work required for the process of promotions have been completed and sent to the Cabinet for approval. The file has been stuck at the Cabinet level for the last one year. The Education Department had sent us a memorandum to take our opinion regarding the bifurcation of teachers for promotions as per regulations, but the matter did not progress further and is still stuck despite multiple reminders and requests,” shared Jaswinder Kaur, ETT teacher from Amritsar, posted at GES, Wadala Bhitthewad.
According to the 25% reservation in promotions, 20% is accorded to ETT to Master Cadre, 4% for Classical and Vernacular cadre, 1% for non-teaching to master cadre. “The problem is that despite 18-19 years of service, ETTs will not be able to become lecturers unless promoted to Master cadre first. This is a drawback for those, who despite being eligible, will be forced to retire without any promotion or might lose their seniority as the government is recruiting new ETTs,” said Jaswinder. “The situation has now come to such a pass that the teachers, some of whom could have been promoted twice over all these years, are still waiting,” she added.
While Education Department officials maintain that the process is complete from their side, the matter needs Cabinet approval.
