Kolkata, Mar 25 (IANS): The Education Department of West Bengal government has slapped show-case notice on 766 teachers from different state-run schools for reportedly participating in a day-long strike on March 10, which was called by the joint forum of state government employees as a mark of protest against the non-payment of dearness allowance (DA) arrears by the state government.

Sources from in the Education Department said that the figure has been arrived at after checking the attendance records available with the department for that day.

"The numbers might increase at a later stage following a school-to-school survey to be undertaken by the department," said a senior official in the Education Department.

According to the official, these 766 teachers participated in the strike and remained absent from duty on March 10, ignoring the directive from the West Bengal Board of Secondary Education (WBBSE) making the presence of teachers at their respective schools mandatory barring cases of emergency or pre-sanctioned earned leave or maternity leave.

The teachers have been asked to give satisfactory explanations justifying their absence on that day within seven days of the receipt of the show-cause notice, failing which the department shall initiate disciplinary proceedings against them.

To recall, before March 10, the Finance Department had issued a notification cautioning the absentee employees of dies-non (break of service) and non-admissibility of one day's salary barring cases of emergency or pre-sanctioned earned leave or maternity leave.

A teachers' association in state-run schools has decided to take the legal route if disciplinary action is initiated against those slapped with the show-cause notice.