Tutors’ Welfare Association of India (TWAI) was formally inaugurated in the presence of Mr. Sujay Kumar Barman, Chairman, Mr. Swapan Datta (Ujjwal), President, and Mr. Soham Bhattacharyya, Secretary, and members of the Association Mr. Subrata Mondal, Mr. Nikhilesh Roy, Mr. Bijit Biswas and Mr. Sekhar Nandi. Academic tutors, TWAI members also include tutors engaged in teaching dance, songs, recitation, drawing, karate, and other musical instruments also graced the occasion.

The Association was established on November 10, 2021, as one of the apex bodies or umbrella organizations to address and protect the needs and concerns of the tutor community across India, as well as to articulate their demands and grievances.

Members of this organization worked at the state level prior to the formation of TWAI, and they supported tutors in distress. Many tutors from various states in India and abroad have contacted the Association via social media over time, necessitating the formation of TWAI.

While earning a living, tutors play an important role in society’s development. They, on the other hand, are a forgotten group who are left out of government welfare programs.

All educational institutions are closed during the Covid pandemic. The online classes were only available to students in urban and semi-urban areas, excluding a large number of students from rural areas. The majority of the students did not have smartphones, so tutors from various faculties kept in touch with them and assisted them in continuing their studies while adhering to the Covid hygiene protocols. In the face of a severe financial crisis, tutors performed their duties for little or no pay, taking into account the socioeconomic status of the students’ parents.

Due to Covid, some dance and other performing arts tutors were unable to hold online classes despite being located outside of cities.

Charter of demands:

• Proper implementation of the RTE Act 2009 throughout India.
• Most of the teachers of Government and Government-sponsored schools are unable to complete the prescribed syllabus in the given time frame owing to their indulgence in private tuition. Thus, they are violating section 24 and section 28 of the RTE Act 2009.
• Before the formation of TWAI, members of the Association had submitted deputations against such practices to Head Masters of Schools, Presidents of Managing Committees, various councilors, Chairman of Municipalities, Block Presidents, Block Development Officers, District Magistrates, DI of Schools, President of West Bengal Council of Higher Secondary Education, President of West Bengal Board of Secondary Education, Director of School Education (7th fl) and the president of West Bengal Council of Higher Secondary Education. However, because the efforts have yielded no results thus far, they demand a thorough investigation into this matter.
• After receiving the deputation, the DIs in the state simply takes self-declarations from the accused teachers regarding their non-involvement in tuitions without looking into the complaint.
• The Government should take steps to bring back the dropout students.
• Revive the schools that were closed due to lack of students and poor infrastructure.
• Proper monitoring by the government to ensure that the teachers are discharging their duties properly.
• Form an autonomous council for the tutors on the lines of private doctors and so on.
• Form a `Grievance Cell’ where the guardians and others may lodge complaints pertaining to schools (primary, secondary, higher secondary) and college education.
• Demand for fairness of appointing of teachers.
• Stop anarchy existing in the education system.