STAFF REPORTER
GUWAHATI: Education Minister Dr. Ranoj Pegu has announced that the jobs of contractual and state pool teachers in the state will be regularized within the current fiscal year.
The Education Minister said the final decision to regularize the jobs of 25,500 contractual teachers working under SSA and 9,500 state pool teachers will be taken in the current fiscal year, and he said that in this regard, discussions have already been held with the finance department.
The Minister said, “The Chief Minister, Himanta Biswa Sarma, announced in his speech during Independence Day that the contractual teachers under Samagra Shiksha Asom (SSA) and state pool teachers would be regularized.”
“However, the Minister said that the contractual teachers are receiving their salaries as per the government ROP. Like other state employees, they too have been receiving DAs, but their families are receiving family pensions and retirement benefits. Currently, the family of a contractual teacher is entitled to one-time financial aid in the event of death while on duty. But in the case of a regular teacher, a family pension is granted. Regarding the differences, the chief minister had announced to regularize the posts of contractual teachers. Recently, we had a discussion with the Finance Department, and soon we will be taking a final decision on the matter of regularising the contractual teacher post,” the Minister added.
The Minister further said that “the jobs of contractual and state pool teachers will be regularised, but they will be recruited as new appointees. They will not receive an increase in their salaries that they had previously received when they were hired as contractual teachers. This will be like a fresh appointment, and in many cases, the amount of salary will be reduced. This means that even if their salary is reduced, pension benefits or financial security will be added. If their jobs are regularised, they will be getting pensions under the National Pension System (NPS), and those working after 2005 will receive NPS. However, contractual and state pool teachers will have the opportunity to choose between regularising their jobs.”
Pegu further said, “Also, there will be a discussion about whether to consider making the jobs of the additional teachers working in secondary schools regularised like the contractual and state pool teachers, and it will be done in the current fiscal year.”
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