Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: The result of HSC may be delayed as employees of the Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education launched a ‘pen down’ protest on Tuesday. This strike has severely impacted the Board's operations. The employees are reportedly protesting against recent changes made to the rules regarding transfers and promotions.
Assistant Superintendents, Clerks, and Peons across various divisional offices of the Board in the State have joined the strike. The agitation may delay the declaration of HSC results across the State.
It may be noted that the protest began on April 20 through various phases, including wearing black ribbons as a mark of protest, Demonstrations and rallies and a total work shutdown started today. union office-bearers stated that State-level discussions held on Tuesday proved inconclusive.
In the Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar Divisional Office, employees staged a sit-in protest (thiyya andolan) in front of the office. Only one or two staff members were seen in various departments, as almost the entire workforce participated in the agitation. This shutdown has paralysed public services provided by the Board, leaving students and parents travelling from various districts stranded with pending work.
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United Action Committee Leads the Protest
The protest is being organised by the Joint Action Committee of the Employees' Federation and the Bahujan Employees' Welfare Federation. The divisional board covers five districts. Those who were present included Sahebrao Adhane, V Ketkar, Vijaykumar Mandle and Shahed Ali.
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Shift to MCSR Sparks Discontent
According to union officials, the Maharashtra Civil Services Rules (MCSR) have now been applied to Board employees. Since the Board is an autonomous body, it previously operated under its own independent set of regulations.
The Board’s original independent bylaws contained specific guidelines for transfers and promotions tailored to the organisation. Staff members feel that the transition to the new rules is unfair and will lead to injustice regarding their career progression and placements. This shift from autonomous bylaws to the generalised state civil service rules is the primary driver behind the current unrest among the employees.