(Image Source: The Hindu)
On 5 August 2024, candidates who passed the Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) in 2013 protested in Tiruchy, criticising the State government for issuing appointment orders to only 410 candidates while over 40,000 have been waiting for more than 11 years.
The protesters highlighted that despite more than 40,000 candidates clearing the TET in 2013, the government has failed to appoint them. They accused the DMK of breaking its election manifesto promise to appoint TET-cleared candidates. Meanwhile, 410 candidates who pursued legal action were given appointment orders.
“These candidates, who obtained lower marks in the TET, managed to secure employment because they could afford the legal proceedings, leaving the rest still waiting,” said State Coordinator Ilangovan, who led the protest.
He added that they have organised over 60 protests statewide and sent over 2,000 petitions to the Chief Minister’s special cell, yet no action has been taken.
“Struggling for livelihood, we are ready to work for a consolidated payment of Rs 10,000,” he said. Candidates from various districts participated in the protest.
Last year in October 2023, there was also a protest where TET candidates demanded appointments and the cancellation of Government Order 149 (G.O.), enacted by the previous AIADMK government. This order requires these candidates to pass another competitive exam to verify their eligibility.
The TET candidates argue that, according to the 2018 government order (G.O.), those who passed the TET exam needed to take an additional test to be appointed. However, the DMK, in its 2021 poll promise number 177, assured that this order would not prevent these teachers from working since they had already passed the eligibility test five years before the G.O. was issued.
One of the protesters lamented, “Some of us, including myself, have crossed the age limit (57) to be appointed as government teachers. The upper age limit for the second test mandated by the 2018 G.O. is 42, which many aspirants have also exceeded.”
Temporary government school teachers are also protesting for permanent jobs. The protesters claim that Tamil Nadu has not recruited permanent teachers for more than a decade.
In 2019, the government began appointing temporary teachers on 11-month contracts, but these contracts are continuously extended without signs of permanent employment, which would provide the benefits of permanent employee status under India’s labor codes.
As of April 2023, around 10,200 temporary teachers have been working in government schools across the state, handling primary to higher secondary classes since December 2022, according to a report by the New Indian Express.
The teachers argue that Chief Minister MK Stalin’s ruling party, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, promised in their 2021 poll manifesto to consider part-time art, music, and physical education teachers for permanent employment in the Department of School Education, but this promise has not been fulfilled.
The protesting teachers have also alleged delays in payments. A primary school headmaster in Thiruvalluvar reported that their salary of ₹12,000 has been delayed by one month since March 2023.
Additionally, SSTA teachers are seeking equal pay for equal work. For more than 10 years, secondary-grade teachers have demanded equal compensation for all teachers hired before and after 31 May 2009, to eliminate disparities in the salary structure. According to The Indian Express, teachers hired on or after 1st June 2009, receive pay that is ₹3,000 less than those hired before that date.
SSTA General Secretary J Robert stated that the DMK government promised in their poll promise number 311 that 20,000 teachers appointed on or before 31 May 2009, would receive equal wages as their colleagues appointed after them. However, this has not been fulfilled despite repeated protests, said the candidates.
Additionally, ANI reported that over 70 teachers were taken to the hospital from the protest site due to deteriorating health conditions.
Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi, the Minister of School Education, neglecting the genuine candidates mentioned that the government has held three rounds of meetings as a temporary measure and views this not as a protest but as a mechanism for teachers to garner attention.
(With inputs from DTNext)
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