Maharashtra School Bandh on December 5: Education Directorate Warns of Severe Consequences for Protesting Teachers

Teachers' unions across Maharashtra have announced a statewide “School Bandh” on December 5 to press for various demands, including teacher adjustments, mandatory TET exemption, reduction of online and non-academic workload, implementation of the revised assured career progression scheme, and stopping contractual practices in the education system. The protest includes principals, teaching staff, and non-teaching employees from private aided, partially aided, and unaided schools. However, the Directorate of Education has stated that disciplinary action will be taken against schools and teachers who shut down operations on the protest day.

Around 25,000 private aided, partially aided, and unaided schools are expected to remain closed during the protest, accounting for nearly 25% of all schools in the state. This has raised concerns about a large-scale academic disruption. To prevent the shutdown, the Directorate of Education has issued strict orders warning that principals, teachers, and non-teaching staff participating in the protest will face consequences. The directive aims to ensure that student welfare is not compromised. The department has also made it clear that participation in the bandh will be treated as a violation of duty.

Also Read: Maharashtra Teachers to Hold School Bandh in Protest Over Unmet Demands on December 5

To discourage participation, Secondary and Higher Secondary Education Director Dr. Mahesh Palekar has ordered a one-day salary deduction for all employees who join the strike or keep schools closed. Instructions have been sent to divisional deputy education offices, district education officers, and BMC education inspectors to enforce compliance. All school administrations have been formally notified that participation in the bandh will lead to wage cuts and disciplinary review. The government maintains that schools must remain functional on December 5 without exception.

Teacher and staff unions have stated their demands clearly, which include removal of mandatory TET for teachers appointed before 2013, reinstating earlier recognition norms by revoking recent government resolutions, reducing administrative burden due to excessive online work, and replacing the contractual education service model with permanent positions. They are also demanding immediate recruitment of non-teaching staff, implementation of the revised assured career progression policy, and special recognition relaxations for minority institutions. The unions argue that the bandh is necessary because previous appeals and negotiations have not led to solutions.