And for the first time, student unions are getting vocal on the impact of the agitation on the students, especially as the HSC examinations are looming large. The stir is bound to affect the schedule of the examinations as the syllabus is far from complete, they fear. Besides, teachers have refused to accept moderatorship and examinership for the HSC exams.

The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) has threatened to take to the streets if the state government does not comply with the teachers' demands. ``We feel that the teachers' demands are justified. Thestate government should agree to the demands,'' state level ABVP secretary, Anand Mapuskar, said.

However, Mapuskar hastened to add that while the teachers' demands were justified, ``It is a wrong time to hold the agitation as the HSc exams are coming up. Therefore, the ABVP will also have a dialogue with teachers and ask them to call off their agitation.''

The ABVP had already held protests in parts of the state like Pen, added Mapuskar. ``We have got over 100 letters from students all over the state mainly from outside Mumbai expressing fear that the examinations may be delayed,'' he said. Deshmukh confirmed that an ABVP delegation had met him and requested a quick solution.

The Bharatiya Vidyarthi Sena (BVS), a student body under Raj Thackeray's chairpersonship, has also expressed its concern about the ongoing strike. The BVS met School Education Minister Sudhir Joshi on Monday and urged him to find a solution to the strike. At the same time, they conferred with teachers' unions and asked them toreconsider their decision to continue the strike in view of the inconvenience caused to students.

``If the strike continues like this, the portion won't be completed,'' said Jitendra Janawale, BVS zonal chief, adding that ``It is the students who are being blackmailed.''

The teachers' unions should heed Joshi's advice and call off the strike, considering that the exams are coming up, Janawale said. ``If the government doesn't take a decision soon and the teachers don't call off the strike, we will have to do something on our own,'' he said, adding that a decision will be taken after organising a meeting of parents and students. The Sena would meet the education minister again too, he said.

The National Students Union of India (NSUI) also demanded a quick solution. Pranil Nair, an office-bearer of the NSUI, said the government should consider the teachers' demands, which are ``justified''.

``The government should resolve the dispute, considering that the future of so many students is at stake,'' Nairstated. If the government does not act soon, the NSUI will be forced to organise a college-level bandh in support of the teachers, he told Express Newsline.

Sanjay Thakur, NSUI spokesperson, added that the union is planning to gherao Joshi on Thursday, if the government does not resolve the crisis by then.