Maharashtra Government Warns of Salary Cuts Amid Teachers' 'School Closure' Agitation on July 9
Maharashtra’s Directorate of Education has ordered all schools to remain open on July 9, despite a planned 'school closure' strike by teachers’ unions. Staff participating in the protest face disciplinary action, including one-day salary deductions. Teachers are agitating over issues like TET reforms, promotions, and non-academic workloads.
The Maharashtra Directorate of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education has issued a stern warning to school staff across the state ahead of a planned "school closure" agitation scheduled for July 9. Education Director Dr Mahesh Palkar has directed that all schools must remain operational to ensure students' academic progress is not disrupted.
Government Directive and Potential Action
In an official circular issued to divisional deputy directors, education officers (Zilla Parishads), and education inspectors, the Directorate emphasised that the academic interests of students remain the government’s top priority. The directive explicitly states that any headmaster, teacher, or non-teaching staff member found participating in the strike - thereby keeping a school closed - will face disciplinary action. This includes a mandatory one-day salary deduction for those who ignore the government’s orders to keep schools open. Maharashtra Teachers’ Protest: Dates, Demands and What Students Need To Know.
Maharashtra Education Department Orders All Schools to Stay Open on July 9
९ जुलै २०२६ रोजी प्रस्तावित #शाळा बंद आंदोलनाच्या पार्श्वभूमीवर राज्यातील कोणतीही शाळा बंद राहणार नसल्याचे स्पष्ट करत विद्यार्थ्यांच्या शैक्षणिक हिताला प्राधान्य देण्याचे निर्देश माध्यमिक व उच्च माध्यमिक शिक्षण संचालक डॉ. महेश पालकर यांनी दिले आहेत. तसेच आंदोलनाच्या दिवशी शाळा… pic.twitter.com/NJ1H892fOZ
— MAHARASHTRA DGIPR (@MahaDGIPR) July 8, 2026
"The Directorate has directed that all divisional deputy directors, education officers, and inspectors must ensure that not a single school remains closed across the state on July 9," according to the official order.
Reason Behind the Agitation
The statewide protest has been jointly called by several teachers’ organisations, including the Maharashtra State Primary Teachers Association, the Coordination Committee of Teachers’ Organisations, and the Headmasters’ Association. The groups are pushing for the resolution of several long-standing demands, which include:
- Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) Reforms: Concerns regarding job insecurity and rigid rules related to TET qualifications.
- Non-Academic Workload: Significant opposition to the assignment of non-teaching duties, particularly Booth Level Officer (BLO) responsibilities, which teachers argue distract from their primary role of educating students.
- Administrative Hurdles: Issues regarding service conditions, promotion delays, and uncertainty surrounding the "Sanch Manyata" (staffing pattern) policy.
Impact of Rainfall on School Operations
Adding to the administrative complexity, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued heavy rainfall alerts for various parts of Maharashtra, including the Konkan and Pune regions. While the state government’s directive to keep schools open remains in effect for the agitation, local district collectors and municipal corporations retain the authority to declare emergency holidays based on evolving weather conditions and ground-level safety. Parents and students are advised to monitor local updates from their respective school authorities and district administrations.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 08, 2026 11:00 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
