Punjab: Teachers Protest 60 Per Cent Salary Decrease After Regularisation, Minister Allows Continuing On Contract

The contractual teachers under Punjab government have been protesting their regularisation under Sarv Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) and Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA). The move will make their salaries Rs 15,000 per month, a steep fall from the current Rs 42,800.

Punjab Education Minister OP Soni spoke to The Indian Express on the matter and termed the agitation by teachers since October 7 ‘uncalled for’.

He says that the teachers should be thankful as they had been demanding regularisation for a long time. He says the talks have been going on and that the dharnas would soon end with 2,000 teachers going back to school. He said that the Union leaders alone were stopping them from doing so.

Regarding the slash in salaries, he said that it was instead an incentive of Rs 4,700 since the starting salary was just Rs 10,300. He said he is surprised at the agitation because the decision was taken with the consultation of all the teachers in the SSA/RMSA. He says that the probation period has been cut down from three to two and a half years.

Moreover, it is not a compulsion to change the contract and that they can remain where they are, he added.

Regarding the transfer, it was to only for those who were not attending and working despite prior warnings. He said these persons could be both union leaders or teachers. He said stricter steps were taken and would be taken if they would not join their new jobs too.

In regarding the mode of payment to the teachers, he said that the Central government used to fund 60 per cent of the salary, but now they are only paying Rs 15,000. However, he says the state is willing to bear expenses provided they give quality education. Moreover, they are free to choose to continue on a contractual basis or join regular rolls.

He said that there has been no meeting with the chief minister and that the complaints of harsh dealing of the department are baseless, attributing them to the teacher’s lax behaviour.