Sholay act helps ousted computer teachers get back their jobs

eligibility test within six months.

At a special meeting,chaired by CM and attended by Education Minister Dr Upinderjit Kaur,Principal Secretary (School Education) Mandeep Singh Sandhu and Director,School Education,Krishan Kumar,in Chandigarh late last evening,a delegation of Dismissed Substitute Computer Teachers’ Union was assured that all 408 ousted computer teachers will be recruited with effect from July 1.

Divulging the details of the long deliberations,Union president Baljinder Singh today told Newsline that after consultation with Education Minister and other senior functionaries present at the meeting,the CM agreed to reinstate their service but with a rider.

On May 28,408 computer teachers were retrenched after they failed in the eligibility test. “Though we persisted to exempt us from eligibility test since we fulfilled the qualification and have ample experience,the CM refused to do so,” said Singh,while stating that getting back lost services was enough and now they will get themselves prepared to clear the eligibility test,which the state government has agreed to conduct after six months.

As per the decision,the teachers would remain employed on contract for six months but only those will be allowed to continue,who will clear the eligibility test. However,till this evening,the teachers were not yet issued formal orders to join service from tomorrow,as decided.

Pertinently,the ousted teachers were not even allowed meeting with the CM and Education Minister since their dismissal,following which they were forced to launch a protest.

On Monday,hundreds of dismissed teachers had converged near bus stand chowk in Kharar and had held the commuters to ransom by blocking the busy National Highway-21 for almost seven hours continuously while three of the protesters had climbed up around 100-feet-high overhead water reservoir on the side of highway to end their lives. It was only then Mohali Deputy Commissioner Prabhjot Singh Mand had arranged their meeting with CM,who returned them jobs.