Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The Department of Public Instruction (DPI) issued an order on Tuesday detailing procedures for relieving guest teachers due to the recruitment of new teachers and the assignment of higher post charges. However, the order has caused distress among guest teachers, who claim it lacks clarity on who will be relieved and who will retain their positions, leading to mental agony and confusion.

Swati Soni, a geography teacher from Damoh who has been working since 2019, expressed her frustration. She said, “I feel mentally tortured. As soon as the DPI’s order was issued, my school principal forwarded it to our group and acted upon it immediately. However, I had already been relieved a month ago without any proper reason. I reported this to the collector during the Jan Sunwayi session, and the collector directed the District Education Officer (DEO) to resolve the issue, but no action has been taken.”

Similarly, Satish Bhargava, a Hindi teacher in Guna with 13 years of experience, was relieved from his position due to new teacher appointments and transfers. He said, “I have been the sole breadwinner for my family and have two children. Now, I have no other source of income apart from taking home tuitions. I cannot work in any other sector other than education and am left with no choice but to continue tutoring.” Ajeet Ahirwar, a math teacher from Guna with a decade of experience, said he was repeatedly relieved and rehired.

“Initially, I was relieved because my school principal preferred a science teacher to teach math. After counselling, I was rehired, but now I have been relieved again following the new order. I am unemployed with no income to support my family of five,” he said. The state president of the Guest Teachers Association, Sunil Singh Parihar, has criticized the DPI’s order; he said that the guidelines are unclear and not properly generalized. Parihar said that they will meet with the CPI to discuss the matter and decide our next course of action.  

Higher Secondary Varg 1 teacher protests

The demand to increase positions in the Madhya Pradesh Higher Secondary Varg 1 Teacher Recruitment 2023 has resurfaced. A video recently went viral on social media showing waiting teacher Suman Ahirwar crying and warning the government that she will shave her head in protest if her demands were not fulfilled.

Leader of the Opposition Umang Singhar has also posted the video on social media, highlighting that over 35,000 higher secondary teacher positions remain vacant in the state. Additionally, on November 8, women waiting-list teachers protested outside the BJP office by banging plates. They now plan to gather in Bhopal in December for a mass protest, during which they will symbolically shave their heads to express their anguish over the delay and unfulfilled promises.