Agartala, Nov 13: Hundreds of ICT computer instructors in Tripura, backed by the Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS), staged a protest near Circuit House on Friday, demanding regularisation of their services, higher wages and social security benefits.
The protesters under the bannner of All Tripura School Computer Sikshak Sangha sought a meeting with Chief Minister Dr Manik Saha to press for their demands, alleging prolonged exploitation of contractual instructors and neglect of computer education in government schools.
Speaking to reporters in the sideline of the demonstration at Circuit House area in Agartala, BMS national-president Sunkari Mallesham said ICT instructors had been working in government schools for years on contractual terms and demanded their phased regularisation, citing similar measures in Assam and West Bengal.
He said the instructors received a monthly remuneration of Rs 10,000, which fell to around Rs 8,000-Rs 8,500 after provident fund and Employees’ State Insurance deductions. He demanded an immediate wage revision and a committee involving BMS representatives to examine their regularisation.
The association also flagged inadequate computer laboratory infrastructure and alleged that ICT education in several government schools had been reduced to a formality, benefiting third-party agencies rather than students.
It further claimed that the ICT education programme in 365 schools was discontinued in March 2026, leaving computer laboratories unused and students without access to the facility.
The protesters questioned the government’s failure to ensure continuity of computer education after the completion of contractual projects and demanded a sustainable state-level arrangement.
The BMS leader warned that the organisation would launch a statewide agitation if the government failed to address the demands, asserting that the issue had remained unresolved despite prolonged protests.
Due to shortage of teachers the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in Schools Project, a government initiative aimed at promoting digital education through e-classrooms, computer laboratories and technology-enabled learning facilities in government schools across Tripura, covering Classes VI to X, is reportedly facing a serious crisis, with its implementation and functioning increasingly on the verge of collapse.
