The Telegraph

Kalimpong/Calcutta, March 16: The Janmukti Secondary Teachers’ Organisation withdrew the boycott of exam duties following a positive outcome at its talks with the Bengal school education minister in Calcutta today.

JSTO spokesperson Bhisan Roka told The Telegraph that the minister, Partha Dey, had agreed to begin the process of regularising the services of 474 adhoc teachers and 78 non-teaching staff working in government-aided schools in the Darjeeling hills.

“A decision was taken at the meeting to constitute a five-member board to scrutinise their qualifications and to recommend their appointments. So, we have decided to suspend our agitation with immediate effect,” said Roka.

The appointment of a panel to recommend the regularisation of jobs was one of the three main demands put forward by the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha-affiliated union.

The other demands are the upgrade of junior schools into high schools and high schools into Higher Secondary schools and appointment of teachers in-charge (read acting headmasters) as permanent headmasters.

To pressure the government into fulfilling their demands, the hill teachers had refused to evaluate the answer papers of Madhyamik exams, which concluded recently, and threatened to abstain from invigilating the Higher Secondary exams starting tomorrow.

The board will comprise two members from the field of education, two others recommended by the DGHC and a person of eminence from the hills.

“The additional chief secretary (education), Bikram Sen, who was also present at the meeting, has invited us to another round of talks in Calcutta on March 25,” said Roka.

He added that the minister had also instructed Sen to start the process of filling the vacant posts in wholly government schools through the state Public Service Commission. In all, there are as many as 37 vacancies in Darjeeling Government High School, Kalimpong Government High School and Sar High School.

“As regards the realisation of other demands, the minister said they would be taken up once the process of regularisation of jobs of adhoc teachers was completed,” he added.

“The outcome of today’s meeting was positive. We will do the needful to solve their demands. I am happy that the organisation has agreed to withdraw the agitation considering the interests of lakhs of Higher Secondary and Madhyamik students,” Dey said.
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