In what could come as a disappointment for thousands of students across the state, board exam results for class 10 and class 12 may be delayed on account of the teachers’ strike. According to a report in the Times of India, teacher associations in the state have boycotted the evaluation process for board exam papers citing issues with regard to government pensions.
According to TOI, the teachers, who are engaged in negotiations with the school education department have announced that they will go on strike from April 24 if the government does not meet their demands.
In September last year, over 30,000 teachers went on strike under the banner of the Joint Action Committee of Tamil Nadu Teachers Organisations and Government Employees Organisations (JACTTO-GEO).
According to a report in The Hindu, the teachers and government employees went on an indefinite strike to highlight their primary demand of restoring the old pension scheme in place of the current contributory pension scheme.
The Madras High Court had slammed the teachers and held them responsible for the poor performance of students from government schools in the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) for entry into medical colleges, reported the Times of India.
In February this year, The New Indian Express reported that the Madras High Court dismissed a petition that sought to restrain a section of government teachers from protesting in the city without obtaining necessary permissions. Appealing to the teachers, the Madras High Court had asked them to be role models for the students and "realise their responsibilities and act accordingly." The Court also asked the teachers to protest in a manner that does not inconvenience protestors.