Nagaland: 2293 mainstreamed teachers launch indefinite protest over salary budget head

Kohima, Feb 26 (PTI) A total of 2,293 members of the Nagaland Government Teachers’ Association (NGTA) on Thursday launched a protest demanding that their salaries be brought under the state’s non-plan expenditure head.

The teachers of the 2010 and 2013 batches demonstrated outside the Directorate of School Education (DoSE) here.

Speaking to media persons, the association said they were formally mainstreamed into the State Education Cadre through an order dated September 2, 2022, with effect from April 21, 2022, following Cabinet approval.

However, despite the lapse of more than three years, their salaries continue to be drawn under Centrally Sponsored Schemes (CSS) instead of the appropriate State Account Head applicable to regular state cadre employees.

The association stated that several representations and appeals had been submitted over the years seeking inclusion of their salary component under the State’s non-development expenditure.

With no concrete response, they served a seven-day ultimatum on February 16. After the deadline expired without resolution, the teachers observed a two-day pen-down strike earlier this week before launching the ongoing protest.

Meanwhile, the School Education Department issued a clarification in view of the agitation by teachers initially appointed under the erstwhile Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) and Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA).

According to the Department, the 2010 and 2013 batch teachers were appointed against posts created under the CSS of SSA and RMSA, with salaries funded by the Government of India. However, since the recruitment advertisements and appointment orders did not specify that the appointments were on SSA/RMSA CSS terms, the teachers demanded mainstreaming into the State School Education Cadre.

The Department said that, considering the open recruitment process, conducted with clearance from the Personnel & Administrative Reforms (P&AR) and Finance Departments and approved by the State Cabinet, 2,293 teachers who fulfilled the criteria under the Nagaland School Education Service Rules, 2017, were mainstreamed into the State Cadre on September 2, 2022.

It maintained that the mainstreamed teachers are currently enjoying the 7th Revision of Pay (ROP), scale pay and other entitlements, and are governed by the same government instructions applicable to regular State Government employees.

The Department further clarified that while representations for drawing salaries under the State Account Head have been submitted and taken up with the concerned authorities, it is not within the prerogative of State employees to determine the Budget Head of Account from which salaries are drawn. It also informed that the Adviser for School Education, along with officials from Samagra Shiksha and the Finance Department, held consultations with the teachers’ representatives on June 3.

NGTA Dimapur Unit president Alemkala said the teachers were regular appointees from the outset.

“We are not backdoor appointees. We went through the formal recruitment process, including written examinations and viva voce, and were selected on merit. For over 13 years, we have been fighting to be treated on par with other state cadre teachers. Our salary component should be shifted from CSS to the State non-plan budget,” he said.

NGTA Central Unit president Peihau Irangbe said that in October 2018, the State Cabinet had in principle decided to induct the 2,293 teachers into the State Education Cadre, and after fulfilling the required criteria, they were integrated with effect from April 1, 2022.

“Being under CSS, the department cites delays in the release of funds from the Centre, due to which our salaries are sometimes delayed for months. Also, the vacant posts advertised were regular posts under the department, but the department inserted ‘under CSS scheme’ only in our appointment letters. This is why we want our salaries to be brought under the State non-plan head without further delay,” Irangbe added. PTI NBS NN