ANGTF demands restoration of GTs’ pay structure

All Nagaland Graduate Teachers’ Forum (ANGTF) has reiterated its demand for restoration of graduate teachers’ (GT) pay structure and review of Personnel & Administrative Reforms (P&AR) department’s office memo of 1975 to enable GTs to enjoy all three financial upgrades under Modified Assured Career Progression Scheme (MACPS).
ANGTF secretary Temjen Yapang and convener Kekuolhouthie said Nagaland School Education Service Rules had downgraded GTs pay band from Rs 9,300-34,800 to Rs 5,200-20,200, which was Rs 4,100 less than the existing one, while the grade pay was downgraded from Rs 4,200 to 3,400, which was Rs 800 less than the existing grade pay as per the ROP rules.
They claimed that altogether a total amount of Rs 4,900 (Rs 4,100+800) had been downgraded from the existing GTs pay structure without any basis.
They said the service rules revision had been done after a gap of many years (10-15 years) to revise and upgrade the existing ones in view of price escalation and changing situation during the period. However, as far GTs pay structure from the purview of 2017 Service Rules was concerned, they pointed out that it had it has been reduced, instead of being upgraded, which they asserted was unacceptable.
They termed the slashing down of teachers’ salary as a humiliation of the teaching community, which could have a negative impact on the teaching-learning process if not restored. To restore the downgraded pay structure of GTs, the duo said ANGTF had been fighting for the past six years, but got no response from the higher-ups to date.
They said the forum’s executive meeting held in this connection on October 6 reviewed the situation and decided to take legal recourse to restore the pay structure of GTs. They therefore requested all GTs, irrespective of being trained, untrained, junior, senior and nature of appointment to pay the amount (Rs. 3000 for legal fees) to the respective district conveners/co-conveners at an early date since the issue concerned all GTs.
With regard to the denial of MACP, the duo recalled that MACP was introduced on April 1, 2010 and granted three financial upgrades to the employees at intervals of 10, 20 and 30 years of continuous regular service. But unless the seniority was protected/claimed from the date of appointment, they feared that many teachers might not get the third lift before retirement.
In this regard, the executive meet unanimously decided to ask for review of P&AR office memo of 1975 along with substantive justifications and supporting documents to enable the GTs to enjoy all three financial upgrades under the scheme.
On behalf of the forum, the duo appealed to all GTs to extend help and support in all forms to the central team fighting for the common benefits of all GTs across the State.