Tripura TTTWA urges early resolution of pay scale issue for 13 Graduate Teachers, highlighting long-pending case, eligibility fulfillment, and demand for parity based on past service under Chief Minister Manik Saha and Finance Department intervention.
A long-standing pay disparity affecting a group of school teachers in Tripura has once again come into focus, as a formal appeal has been submitted to the state’s top leadership seeking timely intervention. The issue concerns thirteen Graduate Teachers under the Elementary Education Department who claim they have been deprived of their rightful pay scale despite meeting all eligibility conditions years ago.
The representation was addressed to Chief Minister Manik Saha and Finance Minister Pranajit Singha Roy by the Tripura TET Teachers’ Welfare Association (TTTWA), highlighting the prolonged delay and its implications on the affected educators.
According to the memorandum submitted by the association, these teachers were initially appointed in 2010 and completed the mandatory five-year service period required to qualify for a regular pay scale. However, their transition to the revised pay structure has remained stalled due to a combination of administrative bottlenecks and legal hurdles.
The association’s secretary, Ajay Pal, emphasized that the issue is not without precedent. He pointed to a 2020 government order that granted similar pay scale benefits to another Graduate Teacher, Rajen Datta. The association has urged the government to adopt a consistent approach by extending the same benefits to the remaining teachers to ensure fairness and parity within the system.
Despite the unresolved pay scale issue, all thirteen teachers have continued their professional duties over the years. During this period, they also successfully cleared the Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) at both primary and upper primary levels, strengthening their qualifications and eligibility.
The situation became more complex due to restructuring and recruitment adjustments within the department. Some of the affected teachers were appointed as Under Graduate Teachers under TET-I and received regular pay owing to available vacancies. Others were later reappointed as Graduate Teachers under TET-II in 2021. However, the benefit of counting their earlier continuous service toward a regular pay scale has not been granted.
The association has argued that this omission has created an inequitable situation where similarly placed teachers receive different financial benefits. It has called on the state government to intervene by coordinating with the Finance Department to expedite a resolution.
In its appeal, the TTTWA has requested that the teachers’ past continuous service be recognized while determining their pay scale. Additionally, it has sought that the regular pay benefits be extended from the date of their rejoining as Graduate Teachers in 2021.
The association has also suggested that if existing rules pose limitations, the government should consider introducing a policy-level decision to address the matter on equitable grounds. It stressed that the teachers have already fulfilled all necessary eligibility criteria and that the delay has persisted for an extended period without a definitive resolution.
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The development highlights broader concerns about administrative delays in implementing service-related benefits, particularly in the education sector, where such issues can impact morale and long-term career progression. The association remains hopeful that the state government will take prompt action to resolve the matter and ensure justice for the affected teachers.
