Dimapur, October 12 (MExN): The All Nagaland Graduate Teachers Forum (ANGTF) on Tuesday highlighted a few concerns with regard to the pay band of graduate teachers (GTs) and benefits of the Modified Assured Career Progression (MACP) scheme. Among others, the Forum sought restoration of pay structure for GTs and a review of an office memorandum of the Personnel and Administrative Reforms Department in order to ensure that GTs reap all benefits of the MACP.
Explaining further, ANGTF Secretary, Temjen Yapang and Convenor, Kekuolhouthie, in a press release, stated that as per the Nagaland School Education Service Rules, 2017, the pay band for GTs had been downgraded from 9300-34800 to 5200-20200 which is Rs 4100 lesser than the existing one, while the grade pay was downgraded from 4200 to 3400 which is Rs 800 less than the existing grade pay as per the ROP rules. Altogether a total amount of Rs 4900 (4100+800) had been downgraded from the existing GTs pay structure without any basis, it said.
The Forum argued that the Service Rules Revision has been made after a gap of many years (10-15 years) to revise and upgrade the existing ones in view of prices escalation and changing situation during the period. “However as far GTs pay structure from the purview of 2017 Service Rules is concerned, it has reduced/downgraded the existing ones instead of upgrading/revising it which is too unbecoming and unacceptable,” it said.
The slash down of teacher's salary, which is the only source of income that teachers rely on, is a humiliation to the teaching community which may bear negative impact on teaching-learning process if not restored, ANGTF maintained.
According to the release, the Forum has been fighting to restore the downgraded pay structure of GTs for the past 6 years without response from the ‘higher ups’ till date.
It said that an executive body meeting was held on October 6, during which the issue was reviewed and “members had taken a consensus decision to restore the pay structure of GTs through legal means.”
“The house decided that the expenditure of the case would be managed with the ongoing collection of Rs 3000 per head. For this reason all GTs irrespective of trained/untrained/junior/senior/irrespective of nature of appointment are hereby requested to pay the said ongoing collection to the respective district Conveners/Co-Conveners at an early date since the issue in consideration is for all GTs,” the release further stated.
With regard to the denial of MACP scheme, the Forum asserted that on April 1, 2010, the scheme was introduced and granted three financial upgradation to the employees at intervals of 10, 20 and 30 years of continuous regular service. However, it said that “unless the seniority is protected/claimed from the date of appointment many teachers may not get the third lift before retirement.” In this regard, the house unanimously decided to ask for the review of P&AR (OM) 1975 along with substantive justifications and supporting documents so as to enable the GTs to enjoy all three financial upgradations of the scheme.
Meanwhile, in view of the aforementioned circumstances the Forum appealed to all concerned GTs to extend help/support in all forms to the Central team in fighting for the common benefits of all GTs across the State, the release stated.
