Teachers in Bhopal protest against TET mandate and seniority issues

Teachers in Madhya Pradesh have launched an indefinite protest at Neelam Park in Bhopal under the banner of the Adhyapak Shikshak Sanyukt Morcha. The demonstration aims to address several long-standing grievances regarding service conditions and mandatory testing.

A primary demand is the exemption of currently serving teachers from the Teacher Eligibility Test (TET). The teachers' union is calling for a special session of the Madhya Pradesh Legislative Assembly to pass a resolution to this effect, similar to models used in Tamil Nadu, to be sent to the central government.

Additional demands include:

• Calculating service duration and seniority from the date of the first appointment to ensure proper benefits for gratuity, pension, and leave encashment.

• Making the current mandatory e-attendance system voluntary to alleviate practical difficulties caused by departmental and official duties.

Organizers stated that despite multiple rounds of discussions with administration and officials, no concrete decisions have been made. The movement is expected to scale up, with teachers from various divisions joining the protest and a planned fast scheduled for October 2.