Overview
- Nearly 15 teachers’ organisations called the December 5 strike, with schools across Maharashtra, including Mumbai, expected to close even though no blanket government closure was announced.
- Pune’s Director of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education directed a one-day salary deduction for principals, teachers and non-teaching staff at schools that remain closed.
- Protest actions include marches to district collectors’ offices, with a Pune procession starting at the new Zilla Parishad building and culminating at the collectorate.
- Key demands include withdrawing the mandatory TET for pre-2013 recruits, scrapping the Shikshan Sevak system, implementing regular pay grades, halting Pavitra Portal hiring, and releasing overdue non-salary grants.
- Organisers warn the Sanch Manyata policy could push about 18,000 aided schools toward closure and risk 20,000–25,000 jobs, and some groups say they plan to challenge the policy in court.