Agitating Arunachal teachers defer exam boycott call after government's assurance of talks

ITANAGAR: Agitating teachers in Arunachal Pradesh on Friday deferred their exam boycott call after the state government assured them of convening a meeting on Saturday.

The teaching fraternity in the northeastern state under the aegis of the Arunachal Teachers Association (ATA) had given a call to boycott the state board examinations, which started during the day, and if needed, the CBSE examinations from February 16 over the non-fulfilment of their long-pending demands.

Also Read | LG 'misusing' powers; not allowing Delhi govt to send teachers abroad for training, alleges Manish Sisodia

“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 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.

The teachers took part in invigilation duties on the first day of the state board examinations, which will continue till February 16. The ATA is demanding the enhancement of earned leave of school teachers from 10 to 20 days or an increase in their retirement age to 62 and renovation of schools and teachers' quarters.

Bifurcation of the directorate of elementary and secondary education up to the block level, speeding up rectification of recruitment rules for all categories of teachers by this year, and review of integrated scheme for school education are among its other demands. The government teachers had attended teaching duties from January 27 till February 1 sporting black badges.