Assam High School Retired teachers demand pension under OPS

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: The Assam High School Retired Teachers' and Employees' Association (Newly Provincialised), Assam has demanded the government to provide pension under the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) to the teachers who have been appointed before 2004.

In a statement, the general sectary of the association, Nipendra Nath Sarma said, "On February 5, the then Education Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma distributed appointment letters to TET passed candidates. During the programme, Sarma stated that the government has made a provision to provide Rs 10 lakh as a gratuity to a teacher even if he/she opts for retirement after working for a mere 10 days. Now, as Sarma is the incumbent Chief Minister, he should take initiatives to bring his statement to fruition."

Further, underlining that the Nation Pension Scheme (NPS) was introduced in the year 2005, Sarma argued that the teachers appointed before 2004 should not be brought under the scheme.

"We were appointed before the year 2004 and our schools were provincialized in 2013. The government should provide us with the pension under the OPS or Death-cum-Retirement Gratuity (DCRG)," stressed Sarma.

"When Class VIII of the venture schools was recognized, the teachers and staff received an Ad-Hoc grant of Rs 2.60. Thus, the government should give us the status of government employees since those days. Already, the retired teachers and employees of venture schools that were provincialized in 1991 and 1995 are receiving their pension and DCRG from the Ad-Hoc receiving date," Sarma added.

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