Agartala, Sept 22: Tripura Government has decided to regularize the TET-qualified Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) teachers.
As per the cabinet decision, the D.El.Ed qualified teachers will be given the basic pay with 3 per cent increment. The council of ministers has taken the final decision in this regard formulating a new scheme for five years.
The benefits will come into force with retrospective effect from February 23 this year—the day the High Court of Tripura gave a direction to the state government in this regard. The 3 per cent increment will be enforced from July 1 this year too.
Approximate additional expenditure from the state’s exchequer for implementing the decision has been pegged at Rs 27.09 crore.
Others who have not qualified the D.El.Ed or are Madhyamik, Higher secondary pass or did not have 50 percent marks, the state government will help them and extend all supports to attain the required qualifications. As soon as the D.El.Ed teachers will qualify the TET, they will be regularized.
After the Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, Tripura Education Minister Ratan Lal Nath and ICA minister Sushanta Chowdhury told the media that the decisions regarding the SSA teachers were taken keeping in mind the High Court of Tripura directions.
Meanwhile, among the 5,176 SSA teachers, 45 are TET qualified as of now.
The Education Minister has said, there are total 5176 teachers engaged under the SSA. Among them 2634 are in primary and 2542 are in upper primary level schools.
Out of all the teachers 45 are TET qualified –who will be regularised- and 4,502 are D El Ed qualified – who will get the basic pay.
As many as 575 teachers have not yet completed their D El Ed while 54 are either Madhyamik or HS qualified and without 50 percent marks—they will be fully supported by the state government to achieve the target-qualifications and marks.
The state government has also decided to bring into force the scheme from February 23, 2021 – the day High Court asked the state government to take positive steps following a PIL.
“The government could have gone to Supreme Court with SLP. But we did not as we were always sympathetic to the SSA teachers”, Nath said.
“The SSA teachers in the upper primary levels have been getting Rs 27,711 per month. From February 23, 2021 till June this year they will get Rs 35,851. If the 3 percent increment is added to them from this July 1 then their monthly pay will be around Rs 36,850. At the same time the primary level teachers who have been getting Rs 21, 907 will get Rs 25,500 till June. Since July when the 3 per cent increment will be added they will get Rs approximate Rs 26,265”, said the Education minister.
In another important decision, the Council of Ministers has approved creation of eight new posts of assistant professor in RIPSAT.
ICA minister Sushanta Chowdhury in the media briefing has said, apart from the eight Assistant professor of the RIPSAT the government will also appoint a senior scientific officer in the State Forensic Laboratory. Besides, one Deputy Manager of the Printing and Stationary will also be appointed- the post which was lying vacant for long.
The battle against the Covid situation in the state has also brought into the fore the dearth of Lab technicians in the state. The cabinet has decided to appoint 125 more Lab technicians, Chowdhury has said.
Apart from that three Doctors (Homeopathy) from ST communities will also be appointed soon.