Para-teachers march in Kolkata over pay hike, clash with police during sit-in demonstration
Telegraph | 10 February 2026
Around 500 para-teachers in West Bengal staged a sit-in for nearly five hours on Tuesday, demanding a pay hike and clashing briefly with police after being stopped from marching to the state education department headquarters.
Members of the Sangrami Sikshak Mancha, a platform representing para-teachers, began their march from Karunamoyee in the Salt Lake area but were prevented from moving towards Bikash Bhavan, the headquarters of the education department.
Tensions flared when protesters jostled with police personnel at the barricades. The demonstrators later sat on the road, insisting on an audience with state Education Minister Bratya Basu.
Police officials informed the protesters that Basu was unwell and unavailable for a meeting. Following this, a six-member delegation from the platform proceeded to Bikash Bhavan to meet Principal Secretary of Education Binod Kumar to place their demands.
The remaining protesters continued their sit-in on the road. After around five hours, the demonstration was called off.
"At the meeting, apart from increasing our wages and PF, gratuity benefits, we demanded relief from election and SIR duties. If we are not considered as regular state government employees, why should we be saddled with election duties on par with state government teachers and other employees," a member of the delegation said.
He said para-teachers were being paid between Rs 9,000 and Rs 10,000 per month.
"We demand that it be raised to at least Rs 15,000. The Rs 1,000 hike in the state's vote on account is meagre." There are over 50,000 para-teachers in the state in over 67,000 primary and upper primary schools.