Kolkata: A section of computer teachers working in state government and government-sponsored schools staged a protest outside Bikash Bhavan in Salt Lake, Kolkata, on Monday, demanding job security amid concerns over the expiry of their contracts.
Hundreds of teachers took part in the protest and sat on the road after police stopped their procession from entering Bikash Bhavan. The protesters attempted to move forward after police put up barricades, leading to a scuffle between the teachers and police personnel.
Police later informed the protesters that a delegation of 10 representatives would be allowed to enter the building for discussions. However, the teachers insisted that they would not withdraw their protest unless the government issued a notification assuring their continued employment.
Over 3,000 Computer Teachers Face Contract Concerns
More than 3,000 computer teachers working in government and government-aided schools in West Bengal were appointed through private organisations under five-year contracts before and after 2022.
While some of the contracts are scheduled to expire this year, others are due to end in early 2027. Recently, the organisations through which the teachers were appointed issued letters stating that contracts would expire on September 30, with all related documents to be handed over to the concerned agency by October 9.
Computer teachers have been appointed on a contractual basis in government and government-aided schools since the Left Front government. The practice continued under the Trinamool Congress government.
The teachers said appointments were made through private organisations during the sixth and seventh phases, including in 2022 and earlier, but claimed that the government did not subsequently regularise their employment.
Teachers Raise Salary and Job Security Concerns
The protesting teachers also alleged that their salaries had been reduced by around ₹1,000 in recent months following changes in government rules.
They said losing their jobs would affect not only their families but also the functioning of schools, where computer-related work and several academic processes have increasingly become digital.
The protest procession began from the Karunamoyee bus stand and proceeded towards Bikash Bhavan. When the teachers reached the building, a confrontation broke out after police attempted to stop them with barricades.
The teachers pushed aside some of the barricades while trying to proceed, following which police prevented them from moving further. The protesters subsequently sat in front of the building and continued raising their demands.
One of the protesting teachers said they were facing dismissal just before Durga Puja and urged the government to intervene.
The teachers are seeking an official government notification guaranteeing their jobs and a resolution to their concerns over contract renewals and employment security.
The protest comes as the September 30 contract-expiry date approaches, leaving thousands of computer teachers awaiting clarity on their future employment.