8K regular teachers in Punjab to get fixed pay, no scales

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, June 9

Months after the AAP government announced to regularise the services of 8,700-odd contractual teachers, the state is all set to give them a lump sum pay.

Salary In Numbers

• Education providers to get Rs 20,500 a month, up from Rs 9,500
• ETT and NTT teachers to get Rs 22,000, instead of Rs 10,250
• BEd teachers will get Rs 23,500 instead of Rs 11,000
• IE volunteers will receive Rs 15,000, up from Rs 5,500

Information available with The Tribune suggests that these teachers, to be regularised after recruited in a special cadre, will not get the benefit of grade pay and pay scales (an increase in salary each year and no rise in dearness allowance) as given to other regular teachers.

The education providers will get a lump sum salary of Rs 20,500 per month instead of Rs 9,500, while the ETT and NTT teachers will get a lump sum pay of Rs 22,000, up from Rs 10,250.

‘Unfair move’

The government had promised to bring contractual employees on a par with regular staff. Thus, we agreed to join in a special cadre. Now, it's clear that we will only get a raise of five per cent each year and no other benefits. This move is quite unfair. Ashish Julaha, employees’ leader

Similarly, the B.Ed teachers will get Rs 23,500 instead of Rs 11,000 and IE volunteers will receive Rs 15,000 (up from Rs 5,500). These emoluments fixed by the Finance Department have been sent to the Education Department.

Ashish Julaha of the Contractual Employees’ Action Committee said, “The government had promised to bring contractual employees on a par with regular staff. Thus, we agreed to join in a special cadre. Now, it’s clear that we will only get a raise of five per cent each year and no other benefits.”

Sources in the Finance Department said it was the best deal that could be offered, considering the limited legal space available to regularise services of the contractual employees and financial resources at their disposal.