After receiving assurances from the state government that a meeting would be held on Saturday, February 4, agitating teachers in Arunachal Pradesh postponed their call for an exam boycott on Friday, February 3. Under the aegis of the Arunachal Teachers Association (ATA), the teaching community in the Northeastern state had issued a call to boycott the state board exams and if necessary, the CBSE exams from February 16 over the non-fulfillment of their long-pending demands. After receiving assurances from the state government that a meeting would be held on Saturday, protesting teachers in Arunachal Pradesh postponed their call for an exam boycott today, reported PTI.
What are their demands?
The ATA is demanding that all teachers' earned leave be increased from 10 to 20 days, that the retirement age be raised to 62 and that all dilapidated school buildings and teacher housing be renovated immediately.
In addition, they demanded that the directorate of elementary and secondary education be divided entirely up to the block level, that the recruitment procedures for all teacher categories be rectified by this year, and that there be no random appointments to the post of district adult education officer, assistant project officer and block education officer until then, according to ATA Central Executive Committee President Kipa Kechak, stated a report by PTI.
“Senior education officials invited us on Thursday and assured us of arranging a meeting with state Education Minister Taba Tedir on February 4 as he is currently out of station,” ATA's Secretary General Jummar Kena said. “We have decided to defer our boycott call by a day and we will continue with our stir if our issues are not resolved in the proposed meeting," he said, as reported by PTI.
On February 1, 2023, the teachers participated in the invigilation duties for the state board exams, which will last through February 16. From January 27 to February 1, government teachers were present for their teaching duties and wore black badges.
