Right from peons to the clerical personnel, non-teaching staff at 650-aided schools in Pune district are giving school authorities a nightmare by striking work indefinitely. In fact K R Vaishampayan, President, Pune district non-teaching school staff federation has even threatened to resort to a fast-unto-death from July 9 if their demands are not met with.

Irked with teachers and principals carrying out the duties of the non-teaching staff, the federation has also decided to take out protest march outside various such schools from Friday. But principals put their hands up in despair and ask what else can they do.

Says Apte Prashala principal Eknath Chavan, "My role has been reduced to signing and attesting marksheets and other documents." In fact, some schools like Vimlabai Garware school has formed student groups and allotted specific days to them to carry out the chores of cleaning the classrooms and related duties. While some schools like Modern High school and N M V Boys school have hired people on daily wages and taken help from temporary staff members to ensure that work was done. However, it is likely that the salaries of teachers will be delayed on account of the ongoing strike.

Principals of various high schools attached to junior colleges have also had no other option but to appeal to the Deputy Director of Education's office for time as the school staff have to along with their regular teaching work also distribute forms for admission to Standard XI. Students applying for forms for appearing for SSC examinations in October this year and March '99 will have to face a trying time.

Assistant Director of Education S Z Khateeb advised principals of schools, which have the right to exercise 20 per cent reservation for admitting students to Standard XI in their junior colleges, that they should display the merit list immediately and at least inform those students who have not obtained admission in their colleges.

These students can then apply in the centralised process of admissions, Khateeb said. The Deputy Director of Education's office has also assured to help schools by deputing its staff to assist them during this period. "If the school principals ask us, we will definitely provide the necessary manpower," Khateeb added.