Hundreds of teachers from aided schools, alongside aspiring educators with disabilities, marched to the Kozhikode collectorate this past Monday, October 13th. They were unified in their strong protest against what they described as the government’s blatant disregard for their worsening situation.
For several years now, the appointment process in aided schools has been stalled, primarily due to issues surrounding reservations for applicants with disabilities. This ongoing crisis means many teachers are still awaiting formal approval for their positions, forcing them to work for meagre daily wages. Adding to their distress, some have received ‘notional’ approval but remain without their regular salaries, even after dedicating five years to their service.
During the protest’s inauguration, M.K. Raghavan, the Member of Parliament for Kozhikode, highlighted the devastating impact of this crisis on approximately 25,000 teachers. He further accused the government of failing to act against individuals who allegedly secured appointments fraudulently under the disabled category, despite evidence of such irregularities. Prominent student organizations, including the Kerala Students’ Union and the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad, publicly voiced their full support for the aggrieved teachers.