Kangra teachers protest over delayed promotions, pending dues

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Association cites 180 vacant head teacher posts, warns of hunger strike over unresolved grievances

Kangra: The Kangra District Primary Teachers’ Association protested outside the Deputy Director’s office on Wednesday over delayed promotions, pending financial benefits and unresolved grievances, warning of intensified agitation if its demands were not addressed.

Association president Kuldeep Patharia said the association had written to the Deputy Director’s office on September 23, seeking a meeting to discuss the issues, but received no response by October 15. It had warned of a protest on October 21 if talks were not scheduled by October 19.

Patharia said he received a WhatsApp message at 4.57 pm on October 19 informing him that a meeting had been scheduled for November 4. He objected to the delay and alleged that block-level general secretaries and treasurers had not been invited, undermining the position of association representatives.

He said promotions to head teacher posts had been pending for around eight months, leaving 120 head teacher and 60 centre head teacher posts vacant in the district. One Block Education Officer’s post was also vacant, he added.

Patharia said the vacancies and delays were affecting teachers and departmental functioning.

Referring to the Complex System guidelines issued on September 23, 2025, he said the guidelines retained the powers of Block Education Officers, including the authority to issue transfer orders.

He alleged that while other districts issued transfer orders through Block Education Officers, officials in Kangra were being bypassed, with orders issued directly by principals. He said the arrangement was causing difficulties for primary teachers.

The association president further claimed that financial benefits in 70 to 80 cases across the district’s 23 blocks had remained pending for three months. He also alleged that some office employees did not respond satisfactorily to teachers’ queries about delays.

Patharia said the association would boycott the November 4 meeting if it was not advanced and block-level general secretaries and treasurers were not included. He warned that the association could intensify its agitation and resort to a hunger strike if its demands remained unaddressed.