Assam Government to Pay Salaries of SRD-Regularised Teachers Directly from State Exchequer

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: The Assam Government has decided to meet the salary liability of 15,029 Special Recruitment Drive (SRD)-regularised teachers from the State exchequer, with their salaries to be drawn through the respective State Treasuries.

According to an order issued by the Department of School Education on October 1, 2026, the Finance Department concurred with the proposed arrangement for utilisation of funds under Samagra Shiksha's "Financial Support for Teachers' Salary" component for 2026-27.

The department said the entire PAB-approved allocation of Rs 459.79 crore under the component would be utilised exclusively for payment of salaries to 10,267 SSA contractual teachers through the prescribed SNA-SPARSH mechanism during the current financial year.

Meanwhile, the salary liability of the 15,029 SRD-regularised teachers would be met by the State Government. The concerned Drawing and Disbursing Officers (DDOs)/Block Elementary Education Officers (BEEOs) would submit salary bills directly to the respective State Treasuries.

The department directed the concerned authorities to issue necessary Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and sensitise the DDOs/BEEOs to ensure proper implementation of the arrangement.

The Mission Director, Samagra Shiksha, Assam (SSA), and the Director of Elementary Education, Assam, were also asked to periodically monitor the utilisation of funds and ensure that the entire Rs 459.79-crore PAB-approved allocation was utilised within the 2026-27 financial year.

The authorities were further directed to submit updated status reports to the School Education Department and ensure strict compliance with the conditions laid down by the Finance Department.

It may be mentioned that an order issued on July 31, 2026, had directed that the salaries of teachers regularised through the SRD be paid through the SNA-SPARSH module. Immediately after the order was issued, teachers' bodies opposed the government's decision.

The Assam State Primary Teachers' Association (ASPTA) submitted a memorandum to the Chief Minister, Education Minister and Director of Elementary Education on August 1, seeking withdrawal of the government's decision.

However, the salaries for July and August 2026 were subsequently paid through the SNA-SPARSH module, along with the applicable salary benefits.

Opposing the arrangement, the ASPTA organised dharnas and protest programmes while simultaneously holding discussions with the Education Minister and officials of the Directorate of Elementary Education.

On September 7, officials representing the Assam Government received the association's memorandum at the protest venue. They subsequently held discussions with the association's state-level office-bearers.

According to the association, the officials took responsibility for resolving the matter at the departmental level and assured that the teachers would be paid salaries in accordance with the terms specified in their appointment orders.

The association has now welcomed the decision to pay the salaries for September 2026 in the same manner as the salary for June 2026, describing it as the fulfilment of the assurance given during the discussions.

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