Assam State Primary Teachers’ Association Seek Restoration of Grade Pay

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: The Assam State Primary Teachers’ Association has decided to resume its agitation demanding the reinstatement of the withdrawn grade pay of Rs 8,700. The association announced that on 17 December, 51 subdivisional samiti across the state will submit a memorandum titled “Remind and Resolve: Restore the Withdrawn Rs 8,700 Grade Pay” to the Chief Minister through the respective District Commissioner and Co-District Commissioner setting a one-month deadline for resolution.

The association recalled that its state leadership had earlier submitted a detailed 100-page memorandum to the Chief Minister on October 6 seeking restoration of the withdrawn grade pay. According to information received from the Chief Minister’s Office, the memorandum was forwarded to the Education Department, which then sent it to the Finance Department for approval. However, no progress has been made so far.

During a recent discussion with the Education Minister, the association was informed that the matter would be resolved under the Eighth Pay Commission. The leadership argued that the withdrawn grade pay has no connection with the Pay Commission and alleged that invoking the Pay Commission was misleading. They insisted that the issue must be resolved within a month and will reiterate this demand through the upcoming memorandum.

Association president Nilakshi Gogoi and general secretary Ratul Chandra Goswami stated that the Seventh Pay Commission upgraded the Sixth Pay Commission’s grade pay of Rs 2,700 to Rs 3,300 and granted Rs 8,700 grade pay for trained graduate teachers. After drawing this grade pay for seventeen months, the salaries of all primary teachers in the state were stopped due to a complaint lodged through another employees’ organization. Subsequently, through a process of arbitration, the grade pay was reduced from Rs 8,700 to Rs 7,400.

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