Rajamahendravaram: Student unions protest rise in retirement age

Rajamahendravaram: Students Federation of India (SFI), Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI), Telugu Nadu Student Federation (TNSF) and other unions staged a dharna at Dharna Chowk here on Thursday, demanding that the government must withdraw its decision of increasing the retirement age up to 62 years as it would lead to further delay in recruitment process.

SFI district secretary T Raja, PDSU district president B Siddu, TNSF Kakinada parliament president Manikanta and other leaders raised slogans against the YSRCP government for ignoring its election promises. The student associations strongly protested increase of retirement age from 60 to 62 years. They demanded that all posts should be filled with eligible candidates from among youth.

Progressive Democratic Front (PDF) MLC Illa Venkateswar Rao also participated in the dharna. He said that the employees didn't demand for the increase of the age, but the government itself increased it. He criticised the government for not advertising for the vacant posts every year.

The leaders demanded the government for the filling up of the 2,35,794 posts by the eligible candidates. They also demanded for the abolition of the GO enhancing the age from 60 to 62 years for the employees. Later, they submitted a representation to District Collector Chevuri Hari Kiran.

Heavy police force was deployed during the dharna to avoid untoward incidents.