The ANGCTA observed one day mass casual leave on October 19, but there is no response from the Government, which clearly indicate that the Government has no concern for the teachers’ legitimate demand. Much talk on total and quality education in Nagaland is discussed in the seminars by the Government agencies, NGOs and individuals, but the college teachers welfare is least bothered by the Government.
In other developed and developing countries, the teacher belongs to the highest paid Government employees in the country. However, in India, the teachers are poorly paid that they can hardly maintain himself and the family members. In view of this tradition, brain drain takes place especially in the educational sector that talented and qualified teachers are often drained out of the country, in search of better opportunities. To control further brain drain in India, the central Government revised the pay scales of Universities and College teachers in 1996on the recommendation of Fifth Pay Commission, so as to attract and retain talented and qualified teachers in the teaching profession. On the direction of the Government of India, Ministry of Human Resource Development, Department of Education in their letter No.F.1-22/97, Dated 27/7/98, the Nagaland State Government implemented the UGC pay scale to the teachers at par with the other Universities and Colleges in India on January 1, 1996.
The University and College teachers pay revision is due in 2006 but the Central Government avoids the revision and implemented a merger i.e. 50%with basic pay w.e.f. July 1, 2004 but the Government of Nagaland is still in abulia to implement the merger to the Government College teachers. Consequently, the DA of the Government College teachers are now frozen since July 2004.the Central Government usually enhance their employees DA by every sixth month, subjected to the price index of the country. Prices are now soaring sky rocketing but the teachers have to draw their frozen DA of 61%far behind even the state employees. In other states, College and University teachers DA and house rent allowances are drawn at par with the Central Government employees but in Nagaland, Government College teachers are given state employees DA and HRA. When the Central Government tries to attract the talented teachers in the department, the Government of Nagaland repelling the intending talented teacher candidate in the state.
Government College teachers are categorized under Class-1senior officer but they are not entitled to vehicle, TA and other allowances. Most of the Colleges in Nagaland do not have teachers quarter and they live in rented house, and their HRA is just 7.5%that they need to pay three to four times higher than that of their actual house rent allowances. The state Government also stopped the teachers PP,IRA and ILCA. And now the government college teachers consists of only 372but the state government is adamant to implement 50%merger,which will involve only a few lakhs. The state government is spending crores of rupees without any investment but they denied spending a few lakh for human resource development. College teachers fully devote their service towards human resource development for upliftment of the society; sacrificing their whole life in the field of education without any monetary benefits. Their good works and achievement often go unnoticed and unsung. The ANGCTA is trying to pressurize the government to implement the merger by observing one day mass casual leave but non of the NGOs and Civil Societies came forward to support the teaching community’s agitation.
Dr A. Nshoga
Senior Lecturer & HoD
in History
Zunheboto Govt College
