Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh) [India], September 3 : Teacher aspirants have been continuing an indefinite strike in Madhya Pradesh’s capital Bhopal for the last 14 days, demanding to increase vacancies for the Class‑2 and Class‑3. 
The protesters have demanded an increase of 3,000 posts in each subject under Class 2 recruitment and 25,000 posts under Class 3 recruitment, warning that their agitation will continue indefinitely until their demands are addressed.
The candidates have also raised concerns over vacant backlog posts, alleging that several reserved vacancies remain unfilled despite eligible SC and ST candidates being available.
The School Education Department, however, said that the number of advertised vacancies cannot be increased or decreased after the examination results have been declared. The protesting candidates have challenged the claim, citing provisions in the recruitment rulebook that allow the number of vacancies to be increased or decreased as per rules.
Class 3 teacher candidate Ishant Srivastava said, “The rulebook clearly in Clause 15 states that the number of vacancies can be increased or decreased. If increasing vacancies is not permissible, then how were 7,500 posts increased through second counselling in 2023 for the Class 3 recruitment of 2022? Posts were also increased in the earlier Class 2 recruitment. So how can the department now say that it cannot be done?” 
The candidates claimed that they were being continuously misled through irresponsible statements, but they would continue their protest until their demands met. 
“According to the Rajpatra, around 99,157 posts of secondary teachers and 1.31 lakh posts of primary teachers are vacant. In the state assembly, our Education Minister had stated that around 1.15 lakh posts were vacant. Today, the department is saying that only 18,000 posts are vacant. I want to know whether you were lying then or are you lying now. There is a continuous attempt to mislead people,” Shrivastva said. 
He requested the Chief Minister to hear their concerns and increase the posts so that schools could get qualified teachers and they could get employment. 
A woman teacher aspirant, Akhilesh Devi said, “I am an Adivasi woman. I have also worked as a guest teacher, and I am a person with a disability. The Education Minister says that the backlog posts have been kept on hold because there are no ST candidates here. But I am an ST woman. So where is my post? I want to ask the Education Minister: Please tell me where the posts meant for me under the backlog are. Whom have you given them to?”
Another aspirant, Mamta Gautam, said candidates who have cleared both the eligibility and selection examinations should be considered for the vacant reserved posts.
“If backlog posts are meant to be filled by SC and ST candidates, then we are sitting here unemployed. We have cleared both examinations. When teachers are needed in schools and qualified candidates are available, what problem does the government have in recruiting us?” Gautam asked.
She added, “Our only demands are that 3,000 posts be added for each subject in Class 2 and 25,000 posts be added in Class 3. Otherwise, our protest will continue indefinitely until our demands are heard. Our demands are legitimate, and we will ensure that the increase in posts is implemented.” 
Meanwhile, Congress leader Praveen Dholpure alleged the state government and the School Education Department were creating confusion over teacher vacancies and recruitment. 
“The government is creating confusion over teacher vacancies and recruitment. When 1.15 lakh teacher posts are vacant against 2.89 lakh sanctioned posts, the demand of Class 2 and Class 3 teacher aspirants for an increase in posts is completely justified and morally valid. The government should at least establish dialogue with those sitting on hunger strike for the past 14 days. These women are the state’s Ladli Behnas and deserve to be heard. Congress stands with the protesting teacher aspirants and will not allow the suppression or exploitation of education. The government must stop making excuses and accept their legitimate demand for an increase in posts,” Dholpure said.