Hyderabad: The Telangana United Teachers Federation (TS UTF) voiced strong dissatisfaction on Sunday due to the two-year delay in implementing the last Pay Revision Commission (PRC). They urged the State government to release the PRC report and apply its recommendations retroactively from July 1, 2023.
In a meeting, TS UTF officials also called for swift distribution of post-retirement benefits for those who retired in March 2024.
Chava Ravi, TS UTF chairman, criticized the previous government for ignoring employees and teachers, noting their struggles to resolve issues. He expressed hope for a different approach from the current government but warned that teachers and employees should be ready to fight if problems persist. Ravi highlighted that although the cabinet decided on Rs 700 crore in monthly arrears, only Rs 180 crore was released last month. He urged the government to fulfill its promise regarding arrears.
Key demands from the meeting included revising Gurukuls’ working hours scientifically, paying model school and Gurukul teachers via the 010 system, ensuring basic pay for KGBV, URS, and Samagra Shiksha employees, filling vacancies for DEO, Deputy EO, MEO, and Diet Lecturers, and proper school supervision by authorities.
Ravi expressed concern that the usual summer transfers and promotions have not occurred. He urged the government to release the schedule immediately. He also called for canceling the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) and restoring the old pension system for teachers recruited through the 2003 District Selection Committee (DSC).
UTF leaders noted the education sector’s struggles, pointing to the drop in government school enrollments. They stressed the importance of building parents’ trust in these schools. Although they welcomed the idea of introducing pre-primary and classes 11 and 12 in high schools, they insisted these should start only after providing essential facilities. They also urged the government to keep corporate education from entering school education.
A Venka, the state general secretary, announced TS UTF’s support for the general strike by central trade unions on July 9. He encouraged participation in the School Teachers Federation of India (STFI) silver jubilee conference in Kolkata on August 8-10. Conferences opposing the National Education Policy (NEP) and CPS will occur statewide for a week starting August 1. The meeting included Vice President C H Durga Bhavani, Treasurer T Laxma Reddy, and State Secretaries Ramulu, Rajasekhara Reddy, among others.
