The Madras High Court on Wednesday expressed concern over a section of government school teachers having resorted to various forms of protest, including an indefinite fast, at a time when evaluation of Plus Two answer scripts had to be carried out.
Justice N. Kirubakaran pointed out that the delay in evaluation would have a cascading effect since the students would not be able to join the courses of their choice and colleges on time.
He wondered how the teachers could resort to such agitations instead of finding ways and means to negotiate with the government about their demands.
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‘Be thankful for job’
“The teachers must understand that they at least have a job which pays them a handsome salary. They are better placed than the engineering graduates and M. Phil degree holders who have taken up the job of sweepers and sanitary workers in the High Court for a basic salary of ₹7,500 a month,” the judge told special government pleader C. Munusamy.
Stating that he would pass elaborate orders on the issue on Thursday, the judge urged the teachers to give up their protest in the interest of the students and negotiate their demands with the government.
The secondary grade teachers have been protesting in support of a charter of demands, which included scrapping of the contributory pension scheme and implementation of the old General Provident Fund scheme.