Jr college teachers to boycott HSC exams

The Mumbai Junior College Teachers' Union (MJCTU) issued a letter to the State Board (Mumbai division) that all junior colleges in Maharashtra will remain closed on February 2 as 72,000 teachers go on strike and may even resort to a jail bharo andolan if their demands are not met. The union has planned a total boycott of HSC examinations, the orals of which begin from February 5.

The MJCTU is affiliated with the Maharashtra State Federation of Junior College Teachers' Organization (MSFJCTO), who have been protesting for the past three years. Some of their demands include a pension scheme for teachers who joined after 1 November 2005, aid for teachers working in unaided institutions, seeking approval on the appointment of the teacher working from May 2, 2012, which has delayed their salaries. In total, there are 32 such demands.

Anil Deshmukh, general secretary of the Mumbai Junior College Teachers' Union, says, "We have decided that if the government doesn't meet our demands, we will participate in jail bharo andolan on February 2, and junior colleges will be closed."

The MJCTU has been protesting through non-cooperative methods such as delay in correcting exam papers for the past three years. This year, to intensify their protest, the unions and federations have decided boycott board examinations completely if their demands are not met.