Contractual teachers in Bihar oppose state govt's move against Patna HC order over ‘equal salary’

“We strongly condemn the state government’s decision to move the Supreme Court against the HC decision. The move is not only contempt of the court but also an attempt to deprive teachers of their rights,” a meeting of various teachers’ organizations held in Patna on Sunday said.

The teachers’ unions which joined the meeting included Bihar State Primary Teachers Association, Revolutionary Primary Teachers Association, Bihar State Primary Teachers association (Gope faction) and Secondary Teachers Association.

“By deciding to move the apex court, the state government has showed its anti-teacher attitude. Our fight will continue till our demands are met,” a teacher association leader Pradeep Kumar Pappu said.

Last month, the Patna High Court ruled that contractual teachers were entitled for getting salary at par with the regular teachers appointed in government schools.

A division bench comprising Chief Justice Rajendra Menon and Justice Anil Kumar Pandey gave the judgment while hearing a bunch of petitions from contractual teachers.

The judgment came as a huge relief to around four lakh teachers who were appointed on contractual basis by the Nitish Kumar government.

Initially, the contractual teachers were appointed on a monthly salary of Rs 5,000, Rs 7,000 and Rs 9,000 but later the government had to regularize their services following strong protests from teachers.

Under pressures from the striking teachers, the state government later also announced that they were entitled for availing wage hike after implementation of 7th pay commission.

thebiharpost.com/IBNS

Image: Official Facebook Page of Nitish Kumar