Ahead of a statewide school shutdown called by teachers' unions, the Maharashtra education department has issued a firm directive, ordering all educational institutions to remain operational this Friday, December 5. The circular carries a strict warning: staff at any school that remains shut will face a deduction of one day's salary.
Government Takes a Hard Stance Against Proposed Bandh
The state's education authorities have made it clear that they will not tolerate the planned closure. The directive is universally applicable, covering government-run schools, aided institutions, unaided schools, and self-financed establishments. This sweeping order aims to prevent any disruption to academic activities across Maharashtra.
The bandh has been called by several teachers' associations in protest against the Teachers Eligibility Test (TET), a mandatory qualification that all serving teachers are required to pass. The unions argue against the compulsion of this test for existing educators.
Teachers' Unions Decry "Dictatorship," Government Cites Supreme Court
Reacting strongly to the government's circular, teachers' leaders have expressed outrage. Rajesh Pandya, the General Secretary of the Teachers Democratic Front, criticized the move, stating, "It's like a dictatorship. We are allowed to protest as long as we inform the government beforehand, which we did." The unions feel their democratic right to protest is being stifled by the punitive financial threat.
However, the state government has defended its position by shifting the onus to the judiciary. State School Education Minister Dada Bhuse, while addressing the media in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, clarified that the TET requirement is not the government's rule. He explained that a Supreme Court verdict has made clearing the TET compulsory for teachers to continue in service, leaving the administration with little room for maneuver.
Implications and Stalemate
The situation has created a standoff between the teaching community and the state administration. On one side, teachers are mobilizing to voice their professional grievances through the bandh. On the other, the government is enforcing continuity of education with the threat of salary cuts, citing legal obligations.
This clash sets the stage for a tense Friday, with schools caught between the directive from the education department and the call for protest from the unions. The outcome will likely hinge on compliance levels across the state and the potential for further negotiations between the two sides.
