Srinagar: Contractual teachers in the Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir’s Higher Education Department protested at Government Degree College Handwara, demanding equal pay and job security.

Kashmir Media Service reported that numerous teachers gathered on the college grounds, holding placards and voicing concerns over short-term contracts and insufficient pay.

Dr. Ishfaq Ahmad, a protester, highlighted the challenges faced by contractual college teachers due to job instability and low salaries. “We have been demanding salary according to UGC norms. If the selection process is being carried out according to UGC norms, then why is the department not adhering to the guidelines regarding our salaries?” he said.

The protesters threatened to start a hunger strike if their demands are not met soon.

Students at GDC Handwara expressed worry about the protests affecting their studies. “Our classes are being disrupted. We request the authorities to resolve the issue at the earliest,” a student stated.