Chandigarh, January 3
The UT Education Department today clarified that the major claim made by computer teachers, who are protesting for the past 10 days, is not justified.
In a press statement issued today, the department said the claim of the computer teachers that the Punjab rules were applicable to them was not accurate. They were not UT employees, and therefore, the Punjab Civil Services rules were not applicable to them.
The department said it set up computer labs in various government schools with an objective to impart computer training/education to students of those schools. With this objective, the department hired the services of computer teachers on a contractual basis through an outside agency.
Though their services were hired for short duration, their contracts were renewed from time to time keeping in view the interest of students. At the time of renewal of contracts, salaries were also increased many times. This led to the audit objections, too, and, therefore, further renewal of their contract is also under question.
It said: “Now the computer teachers, who are working on a contractual basis, through an outside agency have approached the department with the request to regularise their services. It has been clarified to them that they have been engaged through an outsourcing process and not posted against sanctioned vacancies of computer teachers. Further, they are not on the roll of the Education Department. On the basis of bill/claim received from the outside agency, the payment is released to the said agency”.
“In view of the above details, the request of computer teachers, working on an outsourcing basis through an outside agency, to regularise their services cannot be acceded to,” the department said.
As per the orders of the Apex Court in the Uma Devi case, the regularisation of employees working on a contractual basis and engaged through outsourcing was not possible, the department stated in the release.
DPI Kamlesh Kumar told The Tribune that the department had already moved a proposal to hike their salary by 25 per cent, besides assurance for the winter salary, too.
Since they were engaged on an outsourcing basis, there had no scope for regularisation. They should cooperate with the department and end this protest as it was not an amicable solution, he said.
UT Adviser's effigy burnt
Today on the 11th day of their protest, several computer teachers and data entry operators gathered at the Sector 20 Masjid Ground and burnt an effigy of UT Adviser KK Sharma. The computer teachers said they did it so as he threatened us to expel us from our current job.
“We are going to organise a huge rally on January 8, along with UT Subordinate Services Federation, Safai Karamchari Union, Chandigarh, and CTU Employees Union,” said the computer teachers.
They said unless they were assured an increase in salary on a par with the contractual teachers and assurance of their regularisation process, they would continue to protest against the department.
Today, five computer teachers also sat for a day-long hunger strike. They said the low wage forced them to take such extremes steps.
“We gave several representations to the department, but to no avail. We will sit on the dharna till the time we are not paid on the basis of equal work and equal pay,” said Poonam Taprial, president, Chandigarh Computer Teachers Union.
The UT Education Department today clarified that the major claim made by computer teachers, who are protesting for the past 10 days, is not justified.
In a press statement issued today, the department said the claim of the computer teachers that the Punjab rules were applicable to them was not accurate. They were not UT employees, and therefore, the Punjab Civil Services rules were not applicable to them.
The department said it set up computer labs in various government schools with an objective to impart computer training/education to students of those schools. With this objective, the department hired the services of computer teachers on a contractual basis through an outside agency.
Though their services were hired for short duration, their contracts were renewed from time to time keeping in view the interest of students. At the time of renewal of contracts, salaries were also increased many times. This led to the audit objections, too, and, therefore, further renewal of their contract is also under question.
It said: “Now the computer teachers, who are working on a contractual basis, through an outside agency have approached the department with the request to regularise their services. It has been clarified to them that they have been engaged through an outsourcing process and not posted against sanctioned vacancies of computer teachers. Further, they are not on the roll of the Education Department. On the basis of bill/claim received from the outside agency, the payment is released to the said agency”.
“In view of the above details, the request of computer teachers, working on an outsourcing basis through an outside agency, to regularise their services cannot be acceded to,” the department said.
As per the orders of the Apex Court in the Uma Devi case, the regularisation of employees working on a contractual basis and engaged through outsourcing was not possible, the department stated in the release.
DPI Kamlesh Kumar told The Tribune that the department had already moved a proposal to hike their salary by 25 per cent, besides assurance for the winter salary, too.
Since they were engaged on an outsourcing basis, there had no scope for regularisation. They should cooperate with the department and end this protest as it was not an amicable solution, he said.
UT Adviser's effigy burnt
Today on the 11th day of their protest, several computer teachers and data entry operators gathered at the Sector 20 Masjid Ground and burnt an effigy of UT Adviser KK Sharma. The computer teachers said they did it so as he threatened us to expel us from our current job.
“We are going to organise a huge rally on January 8, along with UT Subordinate Services Federation, Safai Karamchari Union, Chandigarh, and CTU Employees Union,” said the computer teachers.
They said unless they were assured an increase in salary on a par with the contractual teachers and assurance of their regularisation process, they would continue to protest against the department.
Today, five computer teachers also sat for a day-long hunger strike. They said the low wage forced them to take such extremes steps.
“We gave several representations to the department, but to no avail. We will sit on the dharna till the time we are not paid on the basis of equal work and equal pay,” said Poonam Taprial, president, Chandigarh Computer Teachers Union.
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