Himachal: Vocational teachers resume protest, demand direct government recruitment

Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], March 31 (ANI): Vocational teachers in Himachal Pradesh have once again taken to the streets, this time joined by their families, demanding direct government recruitment instead of employment through private outsourcing companies.
The protest, held at Chaura Maidan in Shimla on Monday, follows their previous strike in November, which was called off after assurances from the state government that their demands would be met.

However, with the government's contract with the private outsourcing company expiring on March 31, the teachers find themselves in the same uncertain situation. Despite nearly a decade of service in schools across the state, they remain under contractual employment with private firms, which they argue leads to exploitation and job insecurity.

Mohan Singta, a leader of the Himachal Pradesh Vocational Teachers Association and a key figure in the protest, stated, "Our delegation has been here since March 29. We had initially secured permission for this location to hold a celebration, expecting the government to fulfill its promises made in November. The Education Minister had assured us that the outsourcing system would be abolished and we would be directly recruited by the government. We have been receiving such assurances since 2013, but our demands remain unmet. Now, higher officials are refusing to acknowledge the commitments made by the minister himself." Singta said.
"Today, the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the state government and the private company expires. We demand that any new agreement be made directly between the Central Government and the Himachal Pradesh Government so that we receive our salaries directly from the government, eliminating the middlemen." he further added.
Mohan Singta emphasized this point, stating, "When we started in 2013, Himachal Pradesh ranked 14th in education. Today, it stands at number one in vocational teaching. This achievement is the result of our relentless efforts over the last ten years. Now, we simply ask the government to do what is best for us, whether through policy changes or direct recruitment, but we will not allow another MoU to be signed with private firms," he said.
The protesting teachers have also acknowledged some positive steps taken by the government in recent years. However, they stress that the outsourcing model must end.
"We are not here to disrupt peace, but if our demands are ignored, the families of 80,000 students and 2,174 teachers will take to the streets in even greater numbers," Singta added.
Women and Children have also joined the Protest. The protest has taken on a more intense and emotional tone, with women teachers and their children braving harsh weather conditions in Shimla to make their voices heard. Jyoti, one of the protesting vocational teachers, recalled the last protest in November.
"We sat here for 11 days, and the Education Minister assured us there was no need for a written agreement; his word was enough. He promised to do the best possible for us. However, instead of delivering on that promise, the government is now preparing to renew the MoU with private companies. We recently had a meeting with the Education Minister and senior officials, yet they still insist on hiring us through outsourcing. But we want the government to take charge of the project directly and pay our salaries without intermediaries," said Jyoti
Payal Gupta, another protesting teacher, voiced her frustration over prolonged exploitation.
"We have endured this system for 11 years, and we refuse to tolerate it any longer. Our only demand is that the MoU with private firms be scrapped. The government should run this project independently. Despite the difficulties of staying here with children, we will continue our indefinite protest until the Education Minister makes a concrete decision in our favor." Said Payal Gupta.
Worsening weather conditions in Shimla are adding to their hardships, but the teachers continue their protest undeterred. They urged the Himachal Pradesh government to act immediately, warning that delays could escalate the situation into a full-scale crisis. (ANI)