Three jobless teachers climb atop overhead water tank in Sangrur

Three members of New Unemployed PTI Union, Punjab, today climbed atop an overhead water tank near the main bus stand in the Chief Minister’s town, seeking commencement of recruitment process to fill 2,000 posts of physical training teacher (PTI).

Those who have climbed atop the waterworks unit are Gursewak Singh, Balwinder Singh, both from Fazilka and Gurpreet Singh of Mansa.

Unemployed PTIs from Fazilka, Sangrur, Jalandhar, Muktsar and Mansa districts took part in the protest today.

The three protesters scaled the overhead water tank around 2 pm. Three hours later, other members of the union staged a dharna and blocked a road near the waterworks. They also raised slogans against the Punjab Government and in favour of their demand. Local police officers tried to pacify the protesters and clear the road, but they refused to lift the dharna.

Amandeep Kamboj, president of union, said the state government had issued an advertisement on December 16, 2021, to recruit 2,000 PTIs for government primary schools, but nothing had been done to initiate the recruitment process so far. He said they had held several meetings with Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains, the Education Secretary, the Director General, School Education (DGSE), and the DPI, Punjab, but to no avail. They decided to hold a strong agitation to make their voice heard, he added.

Kamboj claimed that the state has not recruited any PTI since 2008, resulting in about 25,000 unemployed instructors. Their main demand was to open the department portal to give a chance to the unemployed PTIs to apply for the 2,000 posts, he added.

The union leader said they wanted the administration to consult the government and give them in writing that in the ensuing Cabinet meeting, 2,000 posts of PTI would be cleared and recruitment would also be started at the earliest.