MUKESH SHARMA

Kalimpong, November 19:

“There should be a joint agitation for not including Darjeeling hills in the appointment of primary school teachers by the state”, recommended the CMP leader, Tara Sundas today. “The forms for appointment of primary teachers is being distributed since September 16, all over West Bengal. But we, the GTA residents are least busy in singing and dancing”, he said.

In such times, the political parties of the hills should come together and demand for the recruitment of primary teachers, instead of pin pointing each others, he added.

It may be noted that only in West Bengal altogether 34,559 primary teachers are being recruited. But there is no mention of GTA in the employment notice.

According to Sundas, there has been no appointment of primary teachers in the hills since 1997. 60-62 thousand children study in 774 schools of the hills and there are 2140 regular school teachers. As per the employment notice of 1997, there was 890 vacant posts for teachers. But instead of regular teachers 868 candidates were employed on contractual basis, back then. Later 407 volunteer teachers were deployed. Finally, in 2002 an interview was conducted, but they were not recruited. Since 1997 till 2012, primary teachers have been appointed 8 times in the state, but the Darjeeling hills was deprived of it.

Thus, Sundas highlighting the aforementioned points said that it is high time that a joint agitation is a must.