Lucknow: Over a thousand CTET-qualified Shiksha Mitras staged a protest at Eco Garden in Lucknow on Tuesday, demanding permanent appointments as assistant teachers. Protesters, who arrived from various districts of Uttar Pradesh, alleged they have been working for years on a fixed honorarium of ₹10,000, less than what daily wage laborers earn.
According to the National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) guidelines, CTET/TET, qualified Shiksha Mitras are eligible for appointment as assistant teachers. Protest leaders, including state president Guddu Singh, stated that many of them have served in government schools for over two decades and contributed significantly to school functioning, often substituting for absent teachers. Despite their qualifications and years of service, over 50,000 Shiksha Mitras remain without regular employment.
Singh said the community had approached officials, ministers, and even the Chief Minister since 2017 but received no concrete resolution. Singh added that repeated assurances from government functionaries have not translated into action, and frustration is growing.
“We are no less than teachers in our contribution, yet our service conditions remain insecure and underpaid,” he said, urging immediate government intervention.
