MANDI: Hundreds of vocational teachers employed in Himachal Pradesh’s government schools are set to go on strike on November 4, expressing frustration over the non-payment of their salary arrears.
The teachers, represented by the Himachal Pradesh Vocational Teachers Welfare Association, will gather at Chaura Maidan in Shimla, demanding immediate action from the state government and education officials.
The decision to strike follows unmet payment obligations from two prominent companies responsible for disbursing the teachers’ salaries. According to Ashwani Datwalia, president of the Vocational Teachers’ Association, these companies — Centum and ICSS — have failed to issue arrears despite clear directives from the Education Department.
“The guidelines set by the Education Department have been blatantly ignored by the companies and as a result, vocational teachers have been deprived of their arrears,” Datwalia said. “Many teachers faced a subdued Diwali due to this financial strain,” he said.
The Education Department had instructed all vocational teaching service providers to complete arrear payments by October 20, aiming to address mounting concerns among teachers over delayed disbursements.
However, despite the department’s directives, Datwalia noted that the companies have shown no compliance, leading to a groundswell of frustration among the teaching community.
Vocational teachers, who play an essential role in delivering skill-based education to students in Himachal Pradesh, now face economic hardship due to these delays.
The association argues that these companies have a history of delaying payments, creating a recurring issue that impacts the financial stability of hundreds of teachers.
In addition to immediate payment, the association has called on the state government to reconsider its reliance on private companies for disbursing teachers’ salaries.
“This issue is not new,” said Datwalia. “The government had assured us that vocational teachers would be freed from dependency on these companies by this Diwali, but no steps have been taken in this direction.
Teachers deserve timely and consistent compensation for their services,” he said.
The association said their demands were not just about the pending arrears but about establishing a system that safeguards teachers’ livelihoods from similar disruptions in the future.
Teachers have urged the government to intervene directly, providing a more stable and accountable structure for salary distribution.
