DODA: All Jammu Kashmir and Ladakh Teachers Federation (AJKLTF) on Monday demanded removal of pay anomaly of teachers and masters from Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh, with respect to other UTs.
Talking to media, AJKLTF state president Devraj Thakur claimed that teachers and masters in rest of the Indian union territories are “far ahead in terms of Grade Pay and other service benefits”.
“The teachers in all other Union Territories of India are placed in Grade Pays between Rs 4200 to Rs 5000. While in Jammu and Kashmir, the same teacher is placed in Grade Pay of just 2800 with a huge difference and discrimination,” said Thakur, alleging that they were being discriminated upon by the government by not addressing the “huge pay anomaly between several cadres in and outside the department”.
With J&K’s reorganisation, teachers here were hopeful that they will get all the benefits of all the allowances and the pay at par with their counterparts in centre and other union territories, however nothing concrete has been done in this regard yet, said Thakur, also the National Auditor of Akhil Bharatyia Rashtaryia Shakshik Mahasangh (ABRSM) to which AJKLTF is affiliated.
Thakur said that before the 6th Pay Commission, the Masters in School Education Department, after their hard fought efforts, were getting salaries equal to the AAOs and SOs. In the 6th Pay Commission, Pay grade the teachers were paid the Pay Band of Rs 5200-20200 with Grade Pay of Rs. 2800/ which in the revised pay matrix as per seventh Pay Commission was fixed at the Basic Pay of Rs. 29200. Pay grade of masters was fixed as 9300-34800+ GP 4280 whereas the pay Grade of the AAOs and SOs was fixed 9300-34800 + GP 4600. By fixing different pay grades for AAOs/ SOs and the Master, the latter have again been discriminated.
“Further perpetuating the said Discrimination in 7th Pay Commission, the Masters have been placed at level 6E which starts with Rs. 35900 whereas the masters deserved to be placed at level 7 which starts with Rs. 44900. Due to the said Pay anomaly the Masters are suffering a loss of Rs 9000 per month”, he said.
Thakur said: ”There is a great confusion among DDOs , Clerks and among teaching community about clarification issued by Finance Department regarding exercise of option under rule (5) of SRO 193 O.M No A/Clar(2018)-11-1110 and on basis of this clarification some DDOs had extended benefit of option of Rule(5) to teachers whose first in-situ was due up to December 2018 but many other DDOs have not extended its benefit to their teachers due to which junior teachers basic pay is fixed Rs 42,300 which is higher than their senior teachers (Rs 39,900) thus creating pay disparity.”
The AJKLTF leader appealed to LG Manoj Sinha, Chief Secretary, Principal Secretary to Government school Education department, Chairman Pay Anomaly committee J&K and the other officers appointed as members of pay Anomaly committee to immediately address the long pending demands of teachers of J&K and bring them at par with Teachers of other UTs of India in respect of pay and grades.
Add Comment