Stop hiding behind technicalities, RMSA-2016 teachers tell Nagaland government

DIMAPUR — The protesting Nagaland RMSA Teachers’ Association 2016 (NRMSATA-2016) has called upon the state government to “stop hiding behind technicalities” and immediately bring them on pay scale with 7th ROP benefit.

In a rejoinder issued on Friday, the association stated that anything less was nothing short of continued exploitation. 

It reiterated that the issue dates back to 2018 when the Centre merged Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) and Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA) into Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan. At that time, salary support was revised to INR 15,000 for primary teachers, INR 20,000 for graduate teachers, and INR 25,000 for secondary teachers, while states were directed to meet additional costs.

Also read: RMSA-2016 teachers to continue agitation after failed talks with Nagaland government

“The framework for Samagra Shiksha mentions that the government of India will provide financial support for salary and it should not be construed as actual salary. In fact, the reduction of salary support was built into the scheme and was bound to eventually cease. On that day, the state government is expected to take full responsibility for salary payment,” the statement read.

The association maintained that RMSA-2016 teachers had been wrongly placed on a fixed pay of INR 31,315, unlike SSA 2010 and 2013 and RMSA 2013 teachers who were absorbed into the state system and granted pay scale under the 7th ROP.

This, it stated, had resulted in underpayment and discrimination despite equal qualifications, recruitment process and responsibilities.

“As early as 2013, the Project Approval Board (PAB) had objected to Nagaland’s advertisements that linked teacher appointments to central funding. The PAB clearly stated that paying teachers is the state government’s permanent responsibility, irrespective of central allocations. This ongoing step-motherly treatment of one batch of teachers has no moral or legal justification,” it added.

On the role of the Nagaland Education Mission Society (NEMS), the association clarified that the appointments were made through Cabinet approval with clearance from P&AR and Finance departments, and therefore could not be termed temporary.

It pointed out that the government of India itself had directed that RMSA teachers be appointed on a regular basis, at par with state cadre.

“While Nagaland honoured this directive for earlier batches, the 2016 batch was singled out and denied equal treatment violating both GoI’s framework and the PAB’s instructions, condemning one entire batch of teachers to insecurity in contradiction to national policy and the state’s own precedents,” it stated.

The teachers argued that nine years of waiting, repeated representations, and even favourable court verdicts had brought no result. They maintained that dialogue without action only prolonged injustice and clarified that their agitation was directed at the government’s failure to act, not at students.

Reiterating that the courts had ruled in their favour, the association urged the government to implement scale pay without further delay.