A Correspondent
PASIGHAT, May 28: The Arunachal Pradesh Teacher Educators’ Association (APTEA) has announced a phased democratic protest movement under the banner “No Pay – No Work,” demanding timely release of salaries for District Institute of Education and Training (DIET) staff through the State Head system.
Addressing the issue, the Association stated that teaching and non-teaching staff of DIETs across Arunachal Pradesh have been facing severe financial hardship since 2019 due to irregular and delayed salary payments.
According to APTEA, many employees are struggling to manage house rent, bank EMIs, children’s education and medical expenses, resulting in continuous stress and uncertainty despite their service to the education sector.
The Association alleged that repeated appeals to the concerned authorities failed to bring any permanent solution, compelling staff members to launch the agitation.
APTEA has placed two primary demands before the government: timely release of salaries and payment through the State Exchequer system instead of Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS) funding mechanisms.
“We are regular Government employees, so we demand our salaries from the State Head and not through Centrally Sponsored Schemes (CSS). We need regular monthly salaries to survive with dignity,” APTEA convenor Marpak Doke said.
As part of the protest programme, the Association has announced a one-day pen-down strike on May 29, followed by a two-day pen-down strike on June 4 and 5, and an indefinite pen-down strike from June 15 onwards.
The Association clarified that the agitation is not directed against students or the education system, but against years of neglect and uncertainty faced by DIET staff.
APTEA also appealed to the government and concerned authorities to resolve the matter at the earliest and urged civil society organizations and the public to extend support to DIET staff in their demand for dignity, financial security and justice.
There are 11 DIETs functioning in Arunachal Pradesh. The lecturers of these institutes are recruited through the APPSC. The institutes conduct teacher training programmes for in-service teachers and offer a two-year Diploma in Elementary Education (DElEd) course for pre-service teachers.