Shimla – Vocational education in government schools across Himachal Pradesh is facing disruption as 2,400 vocational teachers have launched an indefinite strike in protest against unpaid salaries. The strike began on Monday, with teachers staging a sit-in demonstration at Chaura Maidan in Shimla under the banner of the Vocational Teachers’ Union. They raised slogans against the government and voiced their demand for a permanent employment policy.
Union President Ashwani Datwalia and Shimla President Dheeraj Sharma highlighted the ongoing struggles faced by vocational teachers due to arbitrary salary disbursement by private companies. Despite government orders instructing these companies to release the salary arrears by October 20, many teachers remain unpaid, leading to frustration and financial distress among the workforce.
“The companies have failed to comply with government directives, leaving us without our rightful salaries. This situation is unacceptable,” said Datwalia. He noted that the companies provide salaries at their discretion, with no established timeline for payments, further exacerbating the teachers’ grievances.
The Vocational Teachers’ Union has accused the private companies of embezzling substantial amounts of money intended for salaries. In a recent directive, the state government had ordered that all employees’ salaries should be released before Diwali, on October 28. However, private companies have disregarded these instructions, causing widespread anger among vocational educators.
“The teachers are under immense pressure due to the lack of timely salary payments. This strike is a last resort to ensure our voices are heard,” Sharma stated. The union leaders emphasized that unless the government intervenes and establishes a permanent policy for vocational teachers, the strike will continue, leaving vocational education in limbo.
