NPS Vs OPS: Assam High School Retired Teachers Demands Old Pension Scheme

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: The Assam High School Retired Teachers' & Employees' Association (Newly Provincialised) Assam have demanded the government to provided pension under the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) to the teachers who have been appointed on or before 1st January, 2004.

In a statement the general sectary of the association Nipendra Nath Sarma said, "We have been appointed in different high schools of the state on or before 1st January, 2004 but the schools were provincialised only on January 1, 2013."

Further Sarma added that as the New Pension Scheme (NPS) came into force in the year 2005, hence the teachers appointed on or before 1st January, 2004 should not be included in the NPS and should be provided pension in the OPS.

"Many of the retired teachers are availing pension under NPS and as annuity the former state employees are being paid with only between Rs. 400-1200 on a monthly basis," said Nipendra Nath Sarma.

Nipendra Nath Sarma further alleged that while working the teachers used to get a monthly salary of Rs. 40,000-60,000 and now with a monthly annuity of Rs. 400-1200 how can one survive.

"This is happening only because although we were appointed on or before 2004, our posts were provincialised only in 2013, hence included under NPS," said Sarma. The association further clarified that they are not against the NPS system but the teachers who were appointed on or before 2004 should be given pension under OPS. Further, the Assam High School Retired Teachers' & Employees' Association (Newly Provincialised) Assam have urged the state government to release the Death-cum-Retirement Gratuity (DCRG).

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