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Journalism of Courage
A day after Tripura’s BJP-IPFT government announced a massive recruitment drive of over 10,000 jobs in various departments, including nearly 4,000 elementary teacher positions, Opposition Leader Manik Sarkar Saturday said that no comments should be made till the candidates get their appointment letter in hand and they actually join service.
He was speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a voluntary blood donation camp organised by the CPI(M)’s student wing Students Federation of India (SFI).
Sarkar’s comments came after Information and Cultural Affairs Minister Sushanta Chowdhury said the government had resolved to recruit all 3,622 candidates who have cleared the Teachers Eligibility Test (TET) in one go. This would be in addition to the 179 post-graduate teacher jobs, 230 graduate teacher posts, 220 Special Educator positions under the Vidyajyoti scheme, 100 posts of academic counselors and 110 post-graduate teacher posts, and 6,065 Special Executive contractual posts created under the Home Department. The government has promised to fill up these posts by December.
Sarkar said that it would be good if all the TET-qualified candidates are recruited. “But even if they are hired, the teacher crisis would still persist in the state,” he said.
In an oblique reference to the retrenchment of 10,323 teachers as per a Supreme Court verdict, Sarkar said there was a shortage of teachers in the state. “Their jobs were only announced now though the interviews for TET-qualified candidates were conducted several years ago,” said the Left leader who claimed that the state government’s announcement of the elementary teacher posts was actually a result of the agitation by the Left student and youth wings.
“Many have been waiting for jobs after passing the examination several years ago. They held continued agitation. We gave our in-principle support to this movement. SFI, DYFI, TYF, and TSU were also agitating, raising similar demands. The government’s announcement of jobs is the result of these movements. Nothing should be commented until they get appointment letters. This pressure should be maintained,” he said.
The former Chief Minister also criticised the BJP rule in the country and particularly in Tripura.
“The economic condition is very bad. There is depression. Whether the Central Government agrees or not, inflation is rising. The working people in villages and cities are hit by a shortage of work. Except for regular employees, a large number of people do not have money. The traders are feeling the pinch of the situation. People of Tripura aren’t in the condition to enjoy festivities. On top of that, there are attacks on democracy, throttling of freedom of expression,” he said.
Meanwhile, the ruling BJP has welcomed the government’s move to announce the massive recruitment process. A party spokesperson said the move shows BJP’s commitment to helping unemployed youths of the state apart from its push for self-employment.
