In a significant display of dissent, close to one lakh teachers serving in state government schools across Karnataka participated in a symbolic protest by wearing black bands on Thursday. The large-scale action was orchestrated by the Karnataka State Primary School Teachers' Association (KSPSTA) to highlight two primary demands: a legislative amendment to protect in-service teachers from the mandatory Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) and the reinstatement of the Old Pension Scheme (OPS).
Core Demands: TET Exemption and Pension Rollback
The protest was triggered by a recent Supreme Court order making the Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) compulsory. The educators, who are already employed, are seeking an exemption from this test. As per the teachers' body, such an exemption can only be secured through a legislative amendment by the state government.
Their second major demand is the cancellation of the current New Pension Scheme (NPS) and a return to the Old Pension Scheme. KSPSTA president Chandrashekhar Nuggali reminded the government that the implementation of OPS was a promised part of the Congress party's election manifesto. He stated that both Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar had assured its revival.
Government Response and Nationwide Solidarity
Nuggali provided an update on the government's stance, revealing that the state cabinet has recently decided to exempt the serving teachers from clearing TET. The government is also planning to file a review petition in the Supreme Court regarding the matter.
The protest in Karnataka was part of a much larger nationwide movement. Nuggali added that across India, nearly 20 lakh teachers wore black bands on the same day to draw the attention of the central and respective state governments to their grievances.
Additional Grievances of the Teaching Community
Beyond the two headline issues, the protesting teachers put forward several other long-standing demands aimed at improving job security and ensuring fairness in the education sector. These included:
- Recruitment of permanent teachers to replace the current system of hiring contractual staff.
- Implementation of the principle of 'equal pay for equal work' for all educators.
The widespread protest underscores the growing unrest among government school teachers in Karnataka, who are pressing the Siddaramaiah-led administration to swiftly address their concerns and fulfill the promises made to them.
