3-year probation period over, teachers await regular jobs

Sanjeev Singh Bariana

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, September 3

Nearly 5,178 teachers recruited under the Pendu Sehyogi Teacher scheme are waiting for the regularisation of their services since November last year.

Recruited in November 2014, these teachers were told that their jobs would be regularised after three years, following which they would be getting full salary (nearly Rs 45,000 per month against the present salary of just Rs 6,000). While this has not been done, the teachers have not even been paid salary for at least two months.

Those posted in Mansa district have not been paid since November last year, while the salary of Kapurthala teachers is learnt to be stuck for the past about four months. The Congress had, in its election manifesto, also promised to regularise the services of teachers under different categories.

The other affected categories included 8,886 teachers under the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) and Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA) and 3,807 education volunteers, who were recruited separately. The jobs of SSA and RMSA teachers have not been regularised even after the completion of 10 years of their service. And the education volunteers are continued to be paid a measly sum of Rs 5,000 per month.

It has been learnt that the government, in principal, has decided to go ahead with the regularisation of 5,178 Pendu Sehyog Teachers. But it will likely be effected from March next year.

Sukhwinder Singh Chahal, state convener of the Sanjha Adhayapak Morcha, said: “We will not accept such time lag. It will be against the agreement of three years as specified in the appointment letters. Principally speaking, teachers should be paid full salary from the previous date. Otherwise, we will be forced to again raise our voice against the government.”

Chahal said: “The government had introduced the contractual system in July 2004, during the previous tenure of Capt Amarinder Singh. It had recruited elementary teachers at a monthly salary of Rs 5,400. This was followed by several other contracts wherein very little was paid to the teachers.”

Talking to The Tribune, Education Minister OP Soni said: “We are looking to regularise the services of the eligible teachers in all categories. I am fully aware of the fact that these teachers are qualified and there is no justification in denying them their rightful due. We are already working on the details of their dues and will soon make an announcement.”

Those affected

• The government had recruited 5,178 teachers recruited under the Pendu Sehyogi Teacher scheme in November 2014.
• They were told that their jobs would be regularised after three years, following which they would be paid nearly Rs 45,000 per month against Rs 6,000 now.
• The other affected categories included 8,886 teachers under the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) and Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA) and 3,807 education volunteers

Announcement soon: Soni

"I am fully aware of the fact that these teachers are qualified and there is no justification in denying them their rightful due. We are already working on the details of their dues and will soon make an announcement." OP Soni, Education minister