Kohima, September 17 (MExN): The Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA) 2016 batch teachers have strongly rejected the Nagaland Government’s September 15 press release on pay and service conditions, calling it misleading and contrary to court rulings.
In a detailed rejoinder, the teachers emphasised that issues of “fixed pay” and “co-terminus” appointments have already been settled by the courts. The Supreme Court upheld the Gauhati High Court’s order directing the state to provide equal pay to RMSA teachers, reaffirming the principle of “equal pay for equal work.” The teachers argued that the government cannot treat them differently from other teachers performing the same duties with the same qualifications.
The rejoinder questioned why the government has revived matters already decided, noting that the press release misleads the public into thinking the legal position is unsettled. On “co-terminus” appointments, the teachers stressed that the courts’ judgment mandates equal treatment regardless of scheme-based employment.
RMSA-2016 teachers also highlighted what they termed a “double standard” by the state government, pointing out disparities in treatment compared to earlier batches recruited under SSA 2010, SSA 2013, and RMSA 2013, who have been regularised and placed on full pay scales. They demanded an explanation for why RMSA-2016 teachers remain on fixed pay and are still treated as “temporary.”
The government had claimed that RMSA-2016 teachers were recruited “through an open advertisement and written examination by Nagaland Education Mission Society (NEMS).” The teachers countered that candidates also underwent rigorous viva voce interviews, making the process more stringent and merit-based than many other state recruitments. They further noted contradictions, as some RMSA-2016 teachers on the waiting list received appointment letters from the DoSE, exposing attempts to distance the government from responsibility.
The teachers added that the recruitment advertisement violated NCTE guidelines, and the Project Approval Board had advised the state to revise it, underlining that appointments remain the state’s responsibility irrespective of central funding.
Highlighting the exploitative nature of the Rs 31,315 fixed pay, the teachers stated it falls far short of the actual pay scale under the 7th ROP and called the government’s representation of it as “full salary” misleading. They argued that while RMSA is a central support programme, it cannot replace the state’s obligation to provide education. Treating teachers as temporary while schools and students remain permanent, they said, violates the scheme’s purpose.
The teachers also questioned whether the 133 upgraded government high schools would be downgraded once the scheme ends, potentially denying underprivileged students in rural areas access to Classes IX and X. They stressed that RMSA was designed to universalise secondary education and ensure every child beyond Class VIII has access to education.
