West Bengal government had recommended a hike in teachers salaries

West Bengal : Pay hike and more posts for teachers From increasing emoluments of part-time school and college teachers to enhancing pay of the permanent employees of schools, colleges and universities, from creating new teaching posts to setting up new institutions, the budget promised every attempt to keep the teaching community happy. There is a proposal to create 60,000 new teaching posts in primary schools and 1,500 in undergraduate colleges.


The CPM has in the past banked on the support of party-backed teachers’ lobbies such as the All Bengal Teachers’ Association and the West Bengal College and University Teachers’ Association to win elections. The move to create such a large number of posts is also being seen in the context of the forthcoming elections.



“The announcements will give a boost to the CPM-backed teachers’ lobbies,” said a college principal. “Especially so as CPM supporters hold an edge during any recruitment.”


The government hopes to appease nearly 5,500 part-time teachers working in over 500 state-aided and state-run colleges with the promise of a 35 per cent hike. The part-timers had been up in arms against the government because of the absence of a proper recruitment policy for them.


A 35 per cent hike has also been announced for part-time teachers in government-aided schools.


There is good news for over 12,000 teachers in the 400-odd colleges and 16 universities. After the University Grants Commission had recommended a hike in their salaries, the state had agreed to it in principle but not implemented it.


The finance minister assured the teaching community today that the UGC recommendation would be implemented soon.