Thousands of elementary teachers from various districts staged a road roko opposite Chepauk Stadium on Wednesday morning, pressing for several demands, including a revision in pay.
N. Rangarajan, general secretary, Tamil Nadu Elementary School Teachers Federation, said that they have been demanding that the pay band for secondary grade teachers be fixed according to central government scales. They were also demanding that Teacher Eligibility Test, a qualifying examination which is mandated for appointment as teacher in classes I to VIII in government schools after the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education came into effect, be abolished. “There are over 3 lakh qualified secondary grade teachers who have finished training and are waiting to be recruited. Recruitment must be based on employment seniority,” he said.
They have also demanded that the government revert back to the old pension scheme where a part of the salary is not deducted towards the pension.