Protesting Polytechnic Teachers Don’t Subscribe to Assam CM’s Statement

What will the future of the 64 founding (contractual) teachers in different polytechnic institutes of Assam that were released from their jobs on March 7? They say that their labour, combined with passion and spirit, brought the newly founded polytechnic institutes into life, benefiting scores of students in earning their livelihoods. Now, the shapers of human resources are on the brink of losing their livelihoods all of a sudden. These teachers have been serving in their posts since 2017 and after eight years what they have in their hands is a harrowing future. 

They were protesting democratically for the regularization of their posts, but were served release letters, which brought a sudden end to their job and their livelihood. They remain grounded to their demands. But why they believe their stand is legitimate?

Why The Teachers Don’t Subscribe to CM’s Statement?

Today, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, while addressing a press conference in Guwahati, said that if they are taken, then those who have already joined in will have to go. CM Sarma also said that these teachers would be taken as contractual in the upcoming polytechnics at Hajo, Majuli and Tingkhong. 

Speaking to Pratidin Time, Rajiv Kalita, the president of the All Assam Polytechnic Founding Faculty Association, questioned the CM—“Who has joined in the institutes? CM’s statement suggests that new faculties have already joined in the posts that we were serving. This is not true.”

Kalita, who was serving in the Baksa Polytechnic in the department of Chemical Science, reaffirming their protests continued—“There were recruitments in the institutes and new teachers joined in September last year. Then we were not removed from our services. That means their posts were different than the posts we had been serving.”

“None has joined in our posts”—Kalita affirmed his position adding—“We don’t know what will happen to our posts. Will there be new recruitment or they will remain vacant.”

On the Guahati High Court case that CM Sarma referred to, Kalita said—“The case was filed by us to regularize our posts. The HC dismissed it later. But the verdict was not for termination of the teachers. Had the government be sympathetic to us it could have arranged for a provision through a cabinet decision.”

CM Sarma referred to the HC saying that the court ended the case stating that government can not regularize the contractual teachers. 

Dr. Netramoni Boruah, a teacher of Nagaon Polytechnic in the Mechanical Engineering department while holding Rajiv Kalita’s statement as true said to Pratididn Time—“The CM’s version does not give the proper picture.”

Jobless Suddenly After Teaching For 8 Years 

Eight years back in 2017 eleven new polytechnic institutes were opened across Assam and teachers were recruited as per norm. In fact, the institutes were brought into function by those teachers recruited on contractual basis. 

“We had to do everything to run the institutes. All of the teachers were recruited as contractual and some of us had to become the HoD (Head of the department). The contractual teachers brought the institutes into life and students during these 8 years have been placed in various capacities. It is only because of the dedication combined with youthful zeal and spirit of the contractual teachers,”—Said Dr. Netramoni. 

Bond Sign, Salary etc.

Dr. Netramoni further added that back in 2017, at the time of their joining, they were made to sign an undertaking. “We were said indirectly that we can not leave the job for some time. Our certificates were kept with the authority for a period of three years.”

“The AICTE approval was taken by showing faculty strength, which was essentially the contractual teachers”—he added.

At joining, the contractual teachers were paid 25,000 PM, which was incremented to 72,000(fixed salary) in 2021. “However, we continued our demand of regularizing our posts and putting us in the pay scale”—Dr. Netramoni said. 

Regularisation has never happened and many of the teachers left their jobs in the meantime, but mostly after 3 years, when their certificates were returned, Dr. Netramoni said Pratidin Time. 

The End

Left with no options, the teachers took the path of democratic protest, which eventually seems to be in vain. After teaching for 8 long years they stood perplexed where to go and what to do when the government is showing apathy towards them.

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