Faisal Shabir
Srinagar August 24th: Scores of Contractual lecturers held a protest in Srinagar on Wednesday, against the Directorate of School Education ( DSEK) demanding regularization.
The protest was organized by All J&K 10+2 Contractual Lecturers association.
Javaid Ahmad Bhat coordinator of association said that they have been working as contractual lecturers for the past many years after ‘qualifying the mandatory screening test conducted by DSEK.’
” In 2003 Govt formed a policy for the regularization of Contractual lecturers appointed on academic arrangement after rendering three years of service vide order no 1301 EDU of 2003 dated 31-07 – 2003. However the Government itself modified the order via order no 1584 of 2003 dated 21- 10- 2003 which says that all the appointments in the future shall be made on contractual basis which violates the earlier order 1301 EDU of 2003,” Javaid told INS.
In 2010 the state government passed the Civil Services Special Provisions Act which provides for the regularization of all the adhoc or contractual employees as one time relaxation. “The act restricts the appointment in govt departments on adhoc/ contractual basis after 2010. However the Government continues to appoint people in the education department on contractual basis,”Javed explained.
According to protestors not only are they at the receiving end for not being regularized but a pay hike, as per order No 1661 for contractual services, which provides for Grade Pay in addition to Basic pay too is not being implemented.
Protesting contractual lecturers threatened to launch an indefinite pen down strike if their demands are not met immediately.
Police swung into action after protesting lecturers tried to march towards Civil Secretariat and detained some of the protesting lecturers.
