Lucknow: Candidates associated with the 69,000 teacher recruitment case staged a protest in Lucknow on Monday, ahead of the upcoming hearing in the Supreme Court, demanding an early resolution to the long-pending issue.
The protest was organised outside the residence of Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister and senior BJP leader Keshav Prasad Maurya. The demonstrators alleged irregularities in the recruitment process and delay in providing appointments despite qualifying the examination.
Raising slogans such as “Keshav Chacha Nyaay karo” and “Sandeep bhaiya Nyaay karo”, the protesters appealed to Maurya, noting that he also belongs to the OBC community, and to Minister of State for Basic Education Sandeep Singh, urging them to intervene in the matter and ensure justice for the affected candidates.
They said thousands of aspirants have been waiting for years, even after clearing the recruitment examination.
Several candidates said the prolonged uncertainty has severely affected their careers and livelihoods. “We have cleared the exam and fulfilled all eligibility criteria, yet appointments have been stalled. Our future is at stake,” one of the protesters said.
Expressing frustration over repeated delays, another protester, Manoj Yadav, told IANS, “So far, 28 dates have passed, but there has been no hearing, and there is no advocate representing the government. We are still waiting for justice.”
The demonstrators appealed to the Uttar Pradesh government to present its case effectively before the apex court and ensure that deserving candidates are not deprived of employment. They alleged that repeated assurances by the authorities have failed to translate into concrete action.
Police personnel were deployed in large numbers to maintain law and order during the protest. Several protesters were detained by the police as a precautionary measure, though the demonstration largely remained peaceful.
The 69,000-teacher recruitment issue has remained a contentious matter in Uttar Pradesh, with candidates approaching various courts over alleged discrepancies related to evaluation and reservation norms. The Supreme Court is expected to hear the matter on February 4.
The protesters said they would continue their agitation until a final resolution is reached and justice is delivered to all affected candidates.
(IANS)
