Punjab regularises services of 12,500 contractual teachers

Punjab Contractual Teachers: After years of waiting, 12,500 contractual teachers in Punjab finally received their appointment letters and were confirmed in their positions. The Aam Aadmi Party had promised to regularise the services of teachers hired on contract, and now it has been fulfilled.

These teachers, who have been struggling to secure a permanent job for almost a decade, will now receive a monthly salary of Rs 22,500. The government has also assured them of a policy for their career progression. The appointment letter distribution ceremony took place at Tagore Theater in Sector-18, with Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Maan attending as the chief guest.

Expressing his emotions, the Chief Minister mentioned that seeing the word "raw" written in front of the names of 12,710 teachers in the list, with salaries as low as Rs 3,500 to Rs 6,000, saddened him. He emphasised that those responsible for shouldering the country's burdens should not be left to bear the government's lathi (stick).

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Assuring further support, the Chief Minister promised to confirm more contractual teachers soon, emphasising that the government's treasury is never empty, and clear intentions drive action. He stated that fulfilling promises is not an act of favor but a duty.

The long wait of these teachers, who have served as Punjab's contractual teachers, has finally ended. Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains described the day as historic, with the government fulfilling another guarantee. The regularised teachers include education providers, IEEGS, STR, AIE, and special inclusion teachers.

The main function was held in Chandigarh, and similar programmes were organised in schools across the state to appreciate the decades-long service rendered by the teachers. Principals, school committee members, representatives of panchayats and urban bodies, education officers, and legislators all participated in these special programmes. The Education Minister extended congratulations to all the teachers receiving confirmation.

Around two months ago, the Punjab government decided to make ad-hoc, contract-based, wage-earners, work-charged, and provisional employees permanent in the state. A new policy was prepared, stating that employees who have completed ten years of service would be regularised. With the recent distribution of appointment letters, the Punjab government has fulfilled yet another promise.

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