Haryana guest teachers march to Chandigarh to seek regular jobs for 10,757

Thousands of guest teachers working in Haryana's government schools set out on foot from Kurukshetra towards Chandigarh on Sunday, 25 October 2026, to press the state government to regularise their jobs. The march is part of a Nyay Yatra, or justice march, that began in Sirsa on 21 October under the banner of the Guest Teachers Joint Struggle Front. After a night halt at Shahabad, the teachers planned to resume walking on Monday, 26 October, and to present their demands to the Governor in Chandigarh.

Guest teachers are teachers hired by a state education department outside the regular recruitment system, usually on fixed terms and lower or less secure pay, to fill vacancies in government schools. In Haryana they have become a long-standing part of the school workforce. According to the front, many have taught for close to two decades without the job security, promotions or pension that regular teachers receive. The front's argument is simple: if the state has relied on them for this long, it should give them the status that comes with the work.

The issue matters to students as much as to teachers. A large group of teachers marching for days means some time away from classrooms, and long-running uncertainty over jobs can affect staff morale and retention in government schools. At the same time, any decision to regularise more than 10,000 posts would have a large and lasting effect on the state's salary and pension bill, which is the trade-off the government has to weigh.

The teachers' leaders say they have been given assurances before. Front president Krishan Dharshool said the Chief Minister had told them in meetings that their demand would be accepted, but that no announcement had followed, and he warned that the agitation would grow if the demand was not met. Dinesh Yadav, state president of the Rajkiya Anubandhit Adhyapak Sangh, said the teachers want regularisation under the three-year policy in line with court rulings, along with benefits from June 2014. According to one report, the front is also preparing a contempt petition in the Punjab and Haryana High Court, arguing that earlier court decisions in their favour have not been acted on. The government's position on these claims has not been reported.

Short-term: Traffic on the GT Road between Kurukshetra and Ambala may be slowed as the march moves, and schools with several guest teachers on the march may see classes disrupted. The next step is the planned meeting with the Governor and any response from the Chief Minister's office.

Long-term: The outcome will shape staffing in Haryana's government schools for years. A regularisation decision would bring job security for more than 10,000 teachers and a higher long-term cost for the state, while continued delay keeps the dispute alive, possibly in court.

Who is affected: The 10,757 guest teachers and their families; students in government schools across Haryana, especially in rural districts; the state Education Department and Finance Department; and job-seekers hoping for regular teacher recruitment.

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