Teachers' Bodies in Punjab and Haryana Announce Joint Movement Over Key Demands
In a significant development, teachers' organizations from Punjab and Haryana have resolved to escalate their agitation by launching a unified movement. The decision was made during a joint meeting held in Chandigarh, where leaders from the Democratic Teachers Front and Democratic School Teachers Association convened to address pressing issues affecting school educators in both states.
Unified Platform for Collective Action
The meeting, jointly presided over by Vikram Dev Singh and Vijender Mor, saw active participation from leaders of both organizations. During detailed deliberations, attendees discussed the challenges faced by teachers under the current policy framework. It was unanimously agreed to strengthen collective action against what they termed as the "forcibly imposed" Teacher Eligibility Test (TET), opposition to the existing education policy, and the demand for restoration of the Old Pension Scheme (OPS).
The leaders emphasized that a united platform is essential to effectively raise these concerns in the prevailing policy environment. They also decided to expand the movement by reaching out to teachers' bodies in other states, aiming to build a broader coalition.
Key Demands and Upcoming Convention
As a first step, a joint convention of the two organizations is scheduled to be held in Chandigarh on May 24, 2026. Mukesh Kumar and Sunil Yadav announced that a detailed memorandum outlining the organizations' demands will be submitted during this event. The memorandum will be routed through the Chandigarh administration and addressed to the Prime Minister, as well as the chief ministers of Punjab and Haryana.
Among the primary demands are:
- Scrapping of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which they allege was implemented without adequate consultation with states.
- Withdrawal of recent changes in the school syllabus, described as "illogical and unscientific".
- Filing review petitions to abolish the Teacher Eligibility Test.
- Amending the Right to Education Act, 2009 to ensure service security and seniority-based promotions.
- Shifting education from the concurrent list to the state list.
- Scrapping the National Pension System and Unified Pension System, and restoring the old GPF-based pension scheme.
Allegations Against Government Policies
The leaders further accused the BJP-led central government of promoting centralization and privatization in the education sector. They claimed that the AAP government in Punjab and the BJP government in Haryana are following similar policy directions in this regard. Dharminder Dhanda, Gurpiar Kotli, and Rajiv Kumar Barnala highlighted these concerns, stressing the need for immediate action to address teachers' grievances.
This joint movement marks a pivotal moment in the ongoing struggle for teachers' rights, with plans to mobilize support across state lines and advocate for substantial policy reforms.
