Teachers from across Rajasthan have united and planned a series of protests throughout the summer vacation to raise their grievances. The primary issues include a 10-day reduction in summer holidays and the imposition of non-academic work.
Symbolic Funeral Procession
On Monday, teachers initiated their protest with a symbolic funeral procession of the education minister from Ramganj Mandi in Kota, the Assembly constituency represented by the minister. The procession marked the beginning of a sustained agitation.
“Considering the geographical conditions of Rajasthan and the scarcity of resources available in schools, the arbitrary cuts imposed on summer vacations are completely impractical and inhumane,” said Ramdayal Meena, state general secretary of Shikshak Sangh (Siyaram).
Teacher Associations Unite
Ranjeet Meena, state president of Rajasthan Shikshak Sangh (Ekikrit), stated that the combined protest by teachers makes it clear that Education Minister Madan Dilawar does not take the legitimate demands of teachers' associations and individual teachers seriously. “This explains why the teachers of the state are currently feeling so disheartened,” he added.
“I have a clear demand for the minister: first, to stop issuing new statements that serve only to humiliate teachers; and secondly, he must, at the very least, resolve some of the demands that are directly linked to the welfare and interests of the state's teaching community,” said Meena.
Earlier Protests
Last week, the Rajasthan Shikshak Sangh (Shekhawat) burnt effigies of the education minister at district headquarters across the state. Teachers alleged that due to the minister’s indifferent attitude, Grade III teachers have not been promoted for almost seven years.
“Consequently, thousands of posts for senior teachers in subjects such as Mathematics, English, and Science remain vacant, causing significant academic detriment to students,” said Mahavir Sihag, state president of Rajasthan Shikshak Sangh (Shekhawat).
Staffing Issues
Teachers also said that due to the failure to implement teacher rationalisation and staffing patterns, thousands of schools with low enrolment across the state currently have a surplus of teachers, while schools with high enrolment are staffed by only a nominal number of teachers. This imbalance has led to severe shortages in key subjects, affecting the quality of education.
The teachers have vowed to continue their protests until their demands are met, including the restoration of summer holidays, timely promotions, and a reduction in non-academic duties.
