Chandigarh, Feb 25 (IANS) Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal Thursday urged agitating unemployed trainee teachers to give up their protest and assured them the government will initiate measures to fill up vacant posts.

'A confrontational approach will not help them (ETT - elementary teacher training teachers) in any way. We are ready to redress their grievances and I have already directed the concerned officials to work out the modalities for filling up the vacant posts,' said Badal.

He added: 'Merit would be the sole criterion for the selection of ETT teachers as laid down by the National Council of Teacher Education (NCTE). We can resolve every issue through mutual dialogue rather than mounting pressure at the behest of unscrupulous elements.'

On Feb 8, a 27-year-old unemployed Punjab teacher died after she set herself on fire in Kapurthala town during a protest.

The deceased was an education guarantee scheme (EGS) teacher who was seeking admission to the elementary teachers training (ETT) course and also regularisation of her services.