Tripura: Jobs of over 10,000 govt teachers hang in balance, state says ‘searching for a way out’

However, the apex court upheld the High Court verdict and terminated their jobs with effect from December 31, 2017. The terminated teachers were later absorbed in ad hoc positions for six months. The ad hoc tenure was further extended by the Supreme Court till March, 2020.

Now, with only seven months left before the extension ends, the school teachers have now hit the streets in protest.

Bimal Saha, a graduate teacher, one amongst the 10,323, protesting, told indianexpress.com during a protest at Agartala two days back that they would have to face severe financial crisis and won’t have any way to continue living if the government didn’t cut them some rope to hang on to.

Prior to bagging a clean sweep against erstwhile Left Front government in the 2018 Assembly election, the BJP had promised to bring in a ‘permanent solution’ for the teachers if they were voted to power.

The teacher demand regularization of service for those who have exceeded five-years of service and die-in-harness benefits for kins of those teachers who died due to the uncertainty of livelihood.

Speaking on the issue, state Education Minister Ratan Lal Nath told media persons at the state secretariat that his government is sensitive enough for the deprived teachers but can’t afford to break the law.

“Our government is respecting the court’s verdict. We are also worried about their future. Hence, Secretaries of Education and Law departments were asked to peruse about future of 10, 323 teachers”, Nath said.

While the minister could not pronounce any particular plan, he said his government is searching for a ‘way out’.