Himachal Pradesh: Thousands Of Teachers Launch Indefinite Hunger Strike In Shimla Against School Complex System

Shimla (Himachal Pradesh): Thousands of primary teachers from across Himachal Pradesh gathered at the historic Chaura Maidan in Shimla on Sunday after completing a 15-day statewide foot march, launching a major protest against the state government's School Complex System and announcing an indefinite relay hunger strike until their demands are accepted.

The protest, organised by the Himachal Pradesh Primary Teachers Federation, saw participation from serving and retired teachers, mid-day meal workers, multi-task workers and other education sector employees. Federation leaders claimed that teachers from remote tribal regions, including Pangi and Dodra Kwar, joined the agitation.

The teachers are primarily demanding the rollback of the School Complex System introduced by the Himachal Pradesh government in September 2025, under which multiple primary, middle and senior secondary schools have been brought under a single administrative head.

Addressing the gathering, Federation leaders alleged that the policy has weakened the primary education system by reducing administrative autonomy of primary schools and adversely affecting teacher deployment.

Speaking with ANI, Himachal Pradesh Primary Teachers Federation president Ramesh Sharma said the federation's 15-day "Save Primary Education" march had culminated in Shimla with participation from every part of the state.

"The new complex system implemented by the Himachal Pradesh government is destroying the primary education system that has existed for decades. Earlier, one principal was responsible for one school, but now 15 to 20 schools have been placed under a single principal. This has adversely affected primary education and several categories of staff, including JBT teachers, nursery teachers and other employees," Sharma said.

He alleged that nearly 200 primary schools in the state frequently function without teachers because of deployment practices under the new arrangement.

Sharma announced that federation office-bearers have begun an indefinite relay hunger strike from Sunday outside the Directorate of School Education in Shimla.

"This relay hunger strike will continue until the Himachal Pradesh government accepts our legitimate demands, withdraws the new complex system and addresses our other pending demands. If our concerns are ignored, the federation will further intensify its statewide agitation," he said.

Referring to previous negotiations with the government, Sharma said teachers had earlier suspended agitations after assurances from the Education Minister and the Chief Minister but alleged that those promises were not fulfilled.

"We have started this movement during the summer vacation and organised today's protest on a Sunday so that students' education is not suffer. We do not want children's studies to be affected, but we are determined to save primary education," he added.

The federation president claimed that more than 15,000 people had gathered for Sunday's protest and thanked panchayat representatives, local residents, media personnel and various employee organisations for extending support during the 15-day march.

The protest coincided with Kargil Vijay Diwas, during which Sharma paid tribute to the soldiers who laid down their lives in service of the nation.

Federation leaders claimed that Himachal Pradesh has around 20,000 serving primary teachers and alleged that nearly 40,000 retired teachers, besides Anganwadi workers and other employees, have extended support to the movement, taking the strength of supporters to nearly one lakh people.

Speaking with ANI, Prakash, a specially-abled primary teacher from Karsog in Mandi district who reached the protest in a wheelchair, said teachers were hopeful that Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu would honour the assurance given during earlier discussions with the federation.

"Our foot march began on July 11 and concluded in Shimla today. Our principal demand is the complete withdrawal of the School Complex System because it is adversely affecting primary education. Around 20,000 serving teachers, nearly 40,000 retired teache rs and many other employees are supporting this movement," Prakash said.

"We had a meeting with the Chief Minister, who assured us that he would come and address our concerns. We hope he will visit the protest site and announce the withdrawal of the complex system," he added.

The protesting teachers have warned that the agitation will continue until the government formally withdraws the School Complex System and accepts their pending demands.

(Except for the headline, this article has not been edited by FPJ's editorial team and is auto-generated from an agency feed.)