Teachers’ protests take centre stage ahead of Ludhiana West bypoll

In a show of strength and as a symbol of the growing unrest in the fraternity, various teachers’ unions from across the state have staged massive protests in Ludhiana ahead of the high-stakes West bypoll, scheduled for June 19.

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Members of the 4161 Master Cadre Union staged a protest on the Ferozepur road, near Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), expressing their anger over matters related to transfers recently.

Union president Gurmeet Singh said they had attended several meetings with Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains regarding the matter. In those meetings, the minister had assured them the 4161 Master Cadre teachers would be included in the general transfer drive scheduled for 2025. However, when the transfer portal opened recently, there were no options listed for the 4161 Master Cadre category.

A large number of computer teachers, who have long been protesting for their demands, including that of a merger into the Education Department, the implementation of the 6th Pay Commission and an enforcement of Punjab Civil Services Rules, staged a massive protest, under the banner of the Computer Teachers’ Sangrash Committee, on the Ferozepur road recently.

Another protest was staged by 168 candidates who were selected for Director of Physical Education (DPE) posts, demanding the immediate issuance of joining letters from the Education Department.

The protest took place outside the office of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) candidate for West bypoll, Sanjeev Arora, where the selected candidates—qualified and awaiting joining for the past two years—raised slogans, urging the government to fulfill its promise. One protester climbed atop a water tank with a placard as a sign of protest near Ishmeet Singh Chowk.

Hundreds of teachers from several teachers’ unions, including Democratic Teachers Front, Punjab; ETT 6635 Teachers Union Punjab; and 4161 Master Cadre Union, Punjab, sat on a dharna outside the PAU here on June 12.

The teachers rued that though portals for transfers had been opened by the government, they were unable to apply and go to their parental cadre. The teachers said they would intensify the agitation if the government failed to keep its promises.

As Ludhiana West heads to the polls, the teachers’ protest has brought education—and the welfare of government employees—to the forefront of the electoral debate. Whether this agitation transforms into a voting issue will become clear on counting day, June 22.