APPENDIX `N' MEMORANDUM ON ITEM 16 : IMPROVEMENT IN THE EMOLUMENTS AND SOCIAL STATUS OF SCHOOL TEACHERS OF GOVERNMENT AS WELL AS AIDED SCHOOLS
Improvement in the standard of education depends mostly on the competence of the teacher-his educational attainments and his profes- sional and personal qualities. Therefore, in order to attract the right type of persons to the teaching profession and to retain those who are already in it, it is necessary to provide for the teachers adequate emoluments and suitable retiring benefits and other conditions of service. Accordingly, schemes for improvement of emoluments and service conditions of teachers have been included in all the 5-year Plans. In the Third Plan there is a scheme in the State Sector under which 50% Central assistance is available to State Governments for expenditure incurred on schemes for the improvement of emoluments of teachers. As a result of these measures, there has been an upward revision of pay-scales in most States. However, in a few States emoluments of teachers are still inadequate and need improvement. The emoluments admissible to primary teachers, middle school teachers, graduates and post-graduate trained teachers in different States may be seen in Annexures XVIII to XXII.
2. The Teachers' Organisations have been pressing for several demands. Some of the important ones are :
(a) Uniform pay scales should be introduced in all secondary schools throughout the country.
(b) Teachers, particularly those working in private schools, should be given security of service.
(c) Pension scheme should be introduced for non- government school teachers.
3. Uniformity of pay-scales and service conditions
(a) It is felt that it would be difficult to introduce at the secondary stage a uniform scale of pay all over the country, as the States have different salary structures for their employees. The question of suggesting the adoption of a minimum salary scale was also considered, and it was felt that this would not be feasible.
For improving the emoluments of teachers in both government and non-government schools the Government of India has been assisting the State Governments on 50:50 basis. The question of continuing this assistance in the Fourth Plan is also under consideration.
(b) At present there is disparity in some States between the emoluments of teachers working in Government and non-Government schools. There is, however, no justification for continuing this discrimination. The Government of India have already brought this
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to the notice of State Governments and have emphasised that since both categories of teachers do the same kind of work there is hardly any justification for a difference in their emoluments and other conditions of service.
This subject was also considered at the Conference of State Edu- cation Ministers held in April, 1964. The Conference came to the conclusion that :
"It is necessary to do away with the disparity between the emoluments and serving under different managements such as in government schools, in local authority schools and in private schools where such disparity exists at present.
Other facilities to be provided to teachers should include the following:
(i) free education for their children
(ii) Triple benefit (e.g. pension, provident fund and insurance); and
In regard to the Union Territories, the Ministry of Education is already considering the question of introducing uniform scales of pay of teachers in all the Territories.
4. Security of service of teachers and old-age benefits
The attention of State Governments has been drawn to the general sense of insecurity of service amongst teachers of non-government aided schools and they have been requested to take special steps to inspire confidence and self-respect in the entire teaching profession. The State Governments have also been advised to introduce the triple benefit scheme for the non-government school teachers. This scheme provides for contributory provident fund, insurance and pension. It was first introduced in Madras State several years ago. The Secondary Education Commission recommended that this scheme should be adopted all over the country. The States of Andhra Pradesh, Kerala and Mysore have more or less accepted the Madras scheme. Bihar has accepted the scheme in Principle and is expected to implement it shortly. Uttar Pradesh has also accepted the scheme and is to implement it from 1st October, 1964. The Government of Orissa are considering the scheme. In Maharashtra, the State Government have introduced with effect from 1-4-1962 A new pension scheme for primary school teachers in lieu of contributory provident fund scheme. In the other States while the non-government secondary school teachers are entitled to benefit of contributory provident fund, there is no provision of pensionary benefits.
5. Other benefits to teachers
The question of providing free education to teachers' children has also been under consideration of the Central and the State Governments. Government of India has made education free for all school teachers upto secondary stage in all the Union the Territories. A few States like Madras and West Bengal have made education free for
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children of primary and secondary teachers upto the higher secondary classes. In Jammu & Kashmir education is free upto the post-graduate level. In other States concessions of varying degrees are available to teachers. A statement at Annexure XXI showing the position in the
At the university stage the Government of India have a scheme for awarding scholarships exclusively to the children of school teachers. The number of scholarships is however, small and not all the meritorious children of teachers benefit by these scholarships. It is, therefore, felt that the States may also introduce similar schemes for giving encouragement to bright children of teachers.
6. In the Fourth Plan certain schemes have been proposed for improving the social and economic condition of teachers, namely :
(1) Improvement in salary scales of existing teachers
(2) Parity in the scales of pay of government and aided school teachers;
(3) Providing essential amenities to teachers like residential quarters, free education to teachers' children and free medical aid.
7. To accord public recognition to primary and secondary school teachers who have rendered meritorious service, a scheme of National Awards for teachers was instituted in 1958-59 and it is being continu- ed during the Third Plan. This year forty seven primary and forty four secondary school teachers have been selected for awards. Some of the State Governments have also instituted State Awards for Teachers.
8. To promote the welfare of teachers generally and to alleviate distress among teachers and their dependents in indigent circumstances, a National Foundation for Teachers' Welfare was also set up under the Chairmanship of the Union Education Minister. The 5th day of September is observed every year as Teachers' Day for the purpose of raising funds for the Foundation and creating national consciousness for the welfare of the teaching profession.
9. In recent months there has been an abnormal rise in prices of essential commodities and this has caused widespread distress in the teaching community. The State Governments are no doubt alive to this problem and will do all in their power to relieve hardship. It is, however, suggested that in addition to the measures which may be taken to neutralize the effect of rising costs, early steps may be taken as suggested below by all States to bring a sense of security to the profession:
(a) The age of retirement should be raised to 60 in all government and non-government schools;
(b) The triple-benefit scheme should be introduced for all teachers working in non-government schools;
(c) Free education upto secondary stage should be provided to children of all, school teachers; and
(d) Scholarships for higher studies may be provided in the case of very bright children of school teachers.
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ANNEXURE XXII
Statement showing fee concession given to the children of teachers
in different states and union territories
1 ANDHRA PRADESH Education upto 8th class is free for all children. Children of non-gezetted employees of the State Governments including teachers and also the children of all teachers employed in aided schools, are allowed half fee concession in classes IX to XII.
All girl students in Government Local authorities and other aided High School studying in IX to XII classes will be granted exemption from payment of fees from 1964-65 irrespective of caste, community, creed or the financial status of their parents which applies to daughters of school teachers also.
2. ASSAM The secondary school teachers in Government Middle and High Schools drawing salaries not above Rs. 100 p.m. are allowed to educate one child free and others at half the rate of schooling fee in the school in which they are employed. The children of teachers serving in Middle and L.P. schools under the control of the School Boards in the State are also entitled to free education upto class VI in Government Schools only.
3. BIHAR Education is free upto class V. Teachers in Government employ drawing salaries not exceeding Rs. 65 p.m. are permitted to get enrol- led in the school in which they are employed one son free and one son at half the usual rate of fees. Managing Committees of secondary schools are free to allow free education to children of Primary school teachers provided they do not include such amounts towards compensation for loss of fee income. If however, a female teacher's salary is Rs. 60 or less her child will get full concession in all Government schools.
4. GUJARAT Education is free upto standard VII. Children of parents whose yearly income does not exceed Rs. 90 are given free education at all stages. Children of parents with yearly income not exceeding Rs. 1,200 are given free education upto secondary level. Half freeship is given upto S.S.C. to children of parents whose yearly income is between Rs. 1,200 and Rs. 1,800 and who have four or more children studying in Secondary or higher institutions. No special concession is given to teacher's children.
5. JAMMU & KASHMIR Education is free from Primary to Post-graduate level for all students including teacher's children and no tuition fee is charged.
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6. KERALA Education is free for all pupils upto and including VIII Stan- dard. Pupils belonging to Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes and other eligible communities including Kudumbis and Christian converts from among them are exempted from payment of all fees for two years in each class in Standards IX and X. Pupils belonging to other Backward Communities and Christian converts from them are allowed exemption from all fees except game fees in Standard IX and X subject to the annual income limit of Rs. 900 of their parents. Children of teachers of Government Schools and N.G.Os. in receipt of pay not exceeding Rs. 300 p.m. are allowed half fee concession throughout the State. Children of elementary school teachers employed in Government and Aided Schools in Malabar area are given full fee concession.
7. MADHYA PRADESH Education is free upto Class VIII for children studying in Government and local body schools. The following fee concessions are given in different regions of the State :
(i) Former State of Madhya Pradesh Education is free for all children upto the age of 14. Children of teachers in recognised schools receiving pay less than Rs. 100 p.m. are exempted from payment of fees upto high school standard. Half fee concession upto high school stage is also extended to children of teachers whose pay ranges from Rs. 100 to Rs. 200 p.m.
(ii) Madhya Bharat Education is free upto middle standard. Children of teachers serving in the Education Department receive half fee concession if they draw less than Rs. 100 p.m.
(iii) Vindhya Pradesh Education is free upto the middle standard. Free education is also given to children/wards of persons who do not pay income tax or agricultural tax.
(iv) Bhopal Education is free upto the middle standard. Free education is also given to children/wards of persons having income less man Rs. 100 p.m.
8. MADRAS Children of all teachers employed in aided elementary and se- condary schools drawing a pay not exceeding Rs. 400 p.m. are granted full tuition fee concession in all classes upto and inclusive of XI standard (S.S.L.C.).
9. MAHARASHTRA Education is free in all Public Primary School and children of persons whose annual income is Rs. 1,200 or less receive free education upto collegiate, professional, technical etc. level. Children of teachers studying in non-Government secondary schools are given
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free studentships in schools were their parents are employed. Chil- dren of Primary school mistresses are allowed free studentships till the completion of the secondary education provided their income along with that of their husbands does not exceed Rs. 100 p.m. In the Vidarbha area education is free for all children between the ages of 6 and 14 years. All recognised schools give full fee concesSion to children of teachers whose pay is upto Rs. 100 p.m. and half fee concession to children of teachers whose pay is between Rs. 100 and Rs. 200 p.m. In Marathwada region the Government teachers drawing salaries not exceeding Rs. 50 p.m. can get their children enrolled as free scholars in the schools in which they are employed.
10. MYSORE Education upto the standard VII is free in all schools owned by Government and by District and Municipal School Board, Secondary education is also given free to children of all persons in the State whose income from all resources does not exceed Rs. 2,400 per annum.
11. ORISSA Primary education is free except that tuition fee is charged from students of classes IV and V of high schools. No special concession is given to children of teachers.
12. PUNJAB The State Government have recently decided that the fee con- cession given to economically backward class should cover all sections including teachers. This implies that the children of teachers studying in Secondary classes whose parents/guardians income is Rs. 1,000 per annum or below shall be entitled to freeship as contemplated in the free education policy of the State Governmnt.
Previously, however, one child of a teacher employed in a recog- nised school whose income did not exceed Rs. 100 p.m. was exempted from, the payment of tuition fee and any other child of the same teacher was entitled to half fee concession. But now the girls will enjoy full fee concession in the case of such parents who earn an income upto Rs. 3,000 per annum and boys half fee concession upto that limit.
13. RAJASTHAN Education is free upto VIII class in all Government schools. It is free at all stages in Government institutions for the children of all Government school teachers in receipt of pay upto Rs. 320 p.m. This concession has been extended to teachers whose services have been transferred to Panchayat Samitis.
14. UTTAR PRADESH Education is free upto class VI. Wards of the teachers employed in Government institutions drawing less than Rs. 200 p.m. are exempted from payment of fees in the institution in which they are working. Similar concession is given by manager of the aided institutions to the staff serving in their institutions.