Himachal Govt faces mounting pressure as teachers protest over Directorate Merger and mass FIRs - World News Network

Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], May 5 (ANI): Over the past ten days, hundreds of primary school teachers from across Himachal Pradesh have been staging a continuous chain hunger strike and Dharna outside the Directorate of Education in Shimla.
Led by the Government Primary Teachers Association, the protest is in response to a slew of recent government decisions, most notably the controversial merger of the Primary and Higher Education Directorates, mass suspension of teachers, and the registration of FIRs against nearly 900 educators.
“We are committed to improving the quality of education, but not at the cost of our rights and dignity,” said Pramod Chauhan, District President, Shimla.
The teachers say their promotional pathways and administrative autonomy are under serious threat due to the restructuring.
“Our core demand is to revoke the formation of a single Directorate that undermines the primary education system,” said Pramod Chauhan, District President of Shimla and a key leader of the protest.
“By merging directorates, the government is erasing the promotional avenues for primary teachers, Block Education Officers, Head Teachers, and Centre Heads, who will now lose not only career progression but also financial authority,” Chauhan added.
The situation escalated sharply following a symbolic protest on April 26. According to Chauhan, the teachers had informed the government well in advance about the protest and had requested permission.
“Despite our peaceful protest in front of the media and administration, the government responded by cancelling our leaves, denying permission, and lodging First Investigation Reports against around 900 teachers,” he said.
“Ten of our colleagues were suspended overnight. This is a clear attempt to crush a democratic movement,” he added.
The union has accused the state government of ignoring repeated meetings and written communications.
“We had multiple rounds of talks with the Education Secretary and Education Minister. Promises were made, but none of the meeting minutes or outcomes were ever made public,” said Chauhan.
Teachers argue that dismantling the distinct administrative framework of primary education will compromise its quality and cripple school-level leadership. They are also protesting the discontinuation of under-12 sports activities, the withdrawal of increment benefits, and inadequate staffing.
“One teacher is being made to handle up to 8 classes, how is that feasible?” asked Mamta Negi, a protesting teacher from Kinnaur district. “If our demands are not met, this agitation will intensify.”
“If the government continues to ignore us, the protest will spread statewide and eventually nationwide. The teachers of Himachal Pradesh will not be silenced.”, said Mamta Negi, protesting teacher from Kinnaur.
Inder Kumar Thakur, a union leader from Kullu district, condemned the government’s actions.
“We are protesting peacefully, yet we are being treated like criminals. Instead of dialogue, we are being silenced with police action. Our demand is simple: maintain an independent Primary Directorate with its original powers and structure,” he said.
The union’s charter of demands includes Reinstatement of suspended teachers and withdrawal of FIRs against protesters, restoration of separate Directorate for Primary Education, Reintroduction of sports activities for children under 12 years’ age group, immediate promotion of JBT teachers to TGT posts and filling of 4,000+ vacancies, two special increments for JBT teachers with 20 years of service.
Further, it also demands, implementation of old pension scheme for eligible teachers, the Regularization of contractual and para teachers, the deployment of multi-task workers in schools to relieve teachers of non-academic duties, the provision of Hindi-medium textbooks in Mathematics and Environmental Studies up to Class V, and correcting the imposition of English medium.
The teachers say they remain committed to quality education and are ensuring classes continue even as the protest progresses on a district-wise rotation basis. “
As the protest enters its eleventh day, the state government has yet to issue any official response to the teachers’ demands. Meanwhile, the classrooms across Himachal continue to run but under pressure, understaffed, and overshadowed by growing unrest.
“We are educators, not agitators,” said Thakur.
“But the government has left us with no choice. We demand a formal dialogue, not another round of vague assurances,” he added.
With support pouring in from affiliated state and national-level organisations, the union has hinted at escalating the agitation further. A press conference is planned in Delhi within the next two days to draw national attention. (ANI)

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