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Ludhiana: Bring back the cadre of agriculture teachers, say PAU students ahead of today’s stir

Ludhiana: Bring back the cadre of agriculture teachers, say PAU students ahead of today’s stir

The Punjab Agriculture Students’ Association will launch a protest campaign on Monday to press for the restoration of agriculture teachers’ posts in schools and make the subject compulsory in the school curriculum.

In September this year, students met the minister during the Kisan Mela. “The minister said he would talk to the CM, but nothing came of that either,” said student leader Angrej Mann. (HT file)
In September this year, students met the minister during the Kisan Mela. “The minister said he would talk to the CM, but nothing came of that either,” said student leader Angrej Mann. (HT file)

Since the chaos was announced on October 15, the student council has visited every classroom over the past two weeks to mobilize students for the campaign.

“We visited all classes and explained to the students how important this issue is for them and Punjab,” said Angrej Mann, president of the organization.

“We will start the protest march at 9:00 a.m., and then around 11:00 a.m. we will start an indefinite strike right at gate No. 1,” he added.

The outraged students alleged that they met the agriculture minister thirteen times, the education minister twelve times, the speaker and other ministers twice and even sent memoranda through the MLA.

“After so many meetings, we have nothing in our hands,” lamented Mann.

He claimed that after the 37-day protest in 2022 over filling vacancies in the agriculture department and creating a post for agricultural teachers “as promised by Bhagwant Mann before he became the Chief Minister (CM)”, they were invited by the CM and assured that their demands will be taken into account.

“None of our demands have been met so far.”

In a report tabled in the Punjab assembly in March 2023, the government said the previous government had disbanded the agricultural teaching cadre. They recommended reinstating the faculty and teaching the subject as a vocational subject as Punjab is an agricultural state.

In September this year, students met the minister during the Kisan Mela. “The minister said he would talk to the CM, but nothing came of that either,” Mann said.

PAU VC Satbir Singh Gosal also wrote a letter to the government supporting its demands.

“Punjab is an agricultural state. It makes sense to teach students about agriculture so that they can have a chance to pursue a career in agriculture after they graduate,” Gosal said.

“If this happens, it will be beneficial for the state,” he added.