Nagaland government, RMSA 2016 teachers call truce after 12 days of protest

KOHIMA — The Nagaland RMSA Teachers’ Association 2016 has put its indefinite agitation in abeyance with immediate effect after 12 days of protest.

The decision was taken on Tuesday after the state government accepted their revised charter of demands during a meeting with the commissioner and secretary of School Education and other department officials in Kohima.

The association also agreed to participate in the committee formed by the government on September 18 to examine the service-related grievances of the RMSA 2016 teachers.

Briefing Eastern Mirror after the meeting, association president Imlitemjen said the teachers had submitted a revised charter of demands which was “collectively agreed upon.”

He explained that the main change from their earlier demand was on the issue of scale pay. The teachers had been pressing for immediate implementation of scale pay, but the government had insisted on waiting for the Supreme Court’s decision on the pending review petition. With the intervention of the advisor during the September 18 meeting, the teachers agreed to reframe their demands and join the committee process.

The revised charter of demands includes five points: mainstreaming the services of 367 RMSA 2016 teachers in line with Post Creation Notification No. DSE/RMSA-UPGRADATION/2011; finalising the report of the committee with clearances from the Finance, P&AR, Law and Justice, MRC and other departments within five months; ensuring that the recommendations do not conflict with the Supreme Court judgment on the review petition; and arranging an interim enhanced pay mechanism until either the Supreme Court delivers its judgment or the committee reaches a favourable solution.

Related: RMSA 2016 teachers’ indefinite protest enters 11th day in Kohima

Association spokesperson Renbemo L Patton said the commissioner and secretary of School Education assured that the demands would be examined “with utmost sincerity.” Based on that assurance, the agitation was suspended.

He added that the government has committed to securing the necessary clearances from the relevant departments within six months.

During the meeting, it was decided that a High-Level Committee will be constituted with representatives from the School Education department, Directorate of School Education, Samagra Shiksha, Finance department and Law and Justice to examine the demands.

Representatives from the All Nagaland School Teachers’ Association (ANSTA) and RMSA 2016 batch will also be co-opted.

Also read: Nagaland government to go ahead with committee despite RMSA teachers’ rejection—Yhome

RMSA teachers’ strike disrupts classes in 133 Nagaland schools, enters third day

Meanwhile, a Sub-Committee, headed by the secretary of School Education and comprising officials from the DoSE, Samagra Shiksha, two representatives from ANSTA and three from RMSA 2016, will study the demands and prepare a preliminary report for submission to the High-Level Committee.

The entire process is to be completed within six months.

The meeting was attended by officials of the School Education department, Samagra Shiksha, ANSTA and representatives of the RMSA 2016 batch.

Following the decision, the 367 teachers from 133 government schools are expected to return to their classrooms.