Vocational Trainers stage protest; seek job policy, salary hike

Jammu & Kashmir Vocational Trainers Welfare Association protesting at Press Colony Srinagar. -Excelsior/Shakeel
Jammu & Kashmir Vocational Trainers Welfare Association protesting at Press Colony Srinagar. -Excelsior/Shakeel

Excelsior Correspondent

SRINAGAR, May 8: Vocational Trainers (VTs) today staged protest against what they termed as exploitation by the ‘Vocational Training Providers’ while seeking a special job policy as well as an increment in their monthly salaries.
Under the banner of J&K Vocational Trainers Welfare Association (JKVTWA), scores of VTs assembled in the Press Enclave and were seen holding placards and raising slogans in favour of their demands, rueing the indifferent behaviour of administration as well the concerned companies towards them.

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“We are out on roads even on Sunday while our work is inside the classrooms, but the indifference of the authorities has compelled us for this,” the VTs said.
They said that they are working for the last 6 years tirelessly, “but our efforts are not being acknowledged, rather we are being pushed to the wall; the VTPs are exploiting us day in a day out,” they said.
The VTs urged the Government to put an end to the third party agencies. “There is a need for keeping them out of the entire process because they have failed in delivering, even as they are also making us suffer.”
They also said that since their appointment nearly 6 years ago, their salaries are the same. “There has not been any increment despite our more than 100 per cent efforts, which is something that needs to be noted and necessary measures taken,” they said.
The protesting VTs said that PM Narendra Modi’s slogan is Atmanirbhar Bharat, Skill India, Vocational Education and Digital India, “and all these slogans in the end trickle down to vocational education and that is where our role comes in; there is a need for understanding that,” they said.
They also complained that the bureaucracy has not been addressing their issues and has been dodging the same for the last several years now.
“They need to listen to us; we have been demanding fulfilment of these demands but nothing happened so far. If the bureaucracy is not able to do it, then they should without any delay pave a way for an elected government so that our demands are fulfilled,” VTS said.