3 yrs after clearing CET,job aspirants on hunger strike

“I have been contacting education officials about the status of my appointment…and every time they say ‘we have sent your file to the chief minister. He will take a decision soon’. It has been almost three years now and nothing has happened. That is why I decided to sit on a hunger strike,” said Khedkar.

“In 2013,in reply to my RTI query,I found that the 1,561 posts for primary assistant teachers are vacant in the state. If so many seats are lying vacant,why is the state government not making new appointments?” Khedkar asked.

Along with Sanjay,eight more aspirants are sitting on the strike that entered its 15th day on Monday. The government has not conducted CET for the last two years and no decision on CET has been taken this year.

“A total of 15,264 applicants had cleared CET in 2010,of which 15,083 have joined. There are a total of 181 people who did not get appointment letters even though they cleared the CET. On Sunday,officials told us that they would definitely find a solution today. Till now,no one has contacted us from the education department,” said Pankaj Bagade,one of the applicants on strike.

Director,Primary Education,Mahavir Mane,however,said the government was facing a problem of excess of teachers this year. “This year,1,404 schools are getting de-recognised in the state. The de-recognition notice for 80 schools are already out. The others too will get the notices soon. Hence,a total of 2,592 teachers will be left without a job. Out of them,we have done the arrangements for rehabilitation of 1,201 teachers. We are still trying to accommodate the remaining 1,391 in various schools,” said Mane. “We are already in excess of teachers,how can we accommodate new entrees now,” he added.