NGTA to continue protest until salary demand met

Nagaland Government Teachers’ Association (NGTA) 2010 and 2013 batches, which began their agitation outside the Directorate of School Education (DoSE) here, stated that the agitation would continue until the government meets their demand, while expressing hope that the department and the State government would resolve the matter at the earliest.
NGTA has been demanding that their salary components be brought under the State’s non-plan (non-development) expenditure head.
The association informed that around 1,500 teachers participated on the first day out of a total membership of 2,293. As part of the protest, members assembled at DoSE for a peaceful and democratic sit-in. The association also announced exemption from the agitation for pregnant members and those on maternity leave. NGTA Dimapur unit president Alemkala said the teachers were appointed in 2010 and 2013 and were mainstreamed into the State cadre in September 2022.
Although categorised as SSA and RMSA by the department, she clarified that from the time of their advertisement and appointment, they have been regular appointees.
She stated that the teachers have been demanding for over 13 years to be treated on par with other State cadre teachers and that their salary component, currently funded through CSS, should be shifted to the State cadre non-plan budget.
Alemkala said the association had submitted several representations over the years, including an ultimatum that expired three days ago. “The first step we took was a two-day pen-down strike, and today we have gathered at the DoSE as part of a democratic and peaceful sit-in protest,” she said, expressing hope that the department and the State government would address the issue at the earliest.
NGTA 2010 and 2013 president Peihau said the State Cabinet in 2018 had in principle recognised them as State cadre teachers subject to certain criteria, which were fulfilled prior to their integration into the State education cadre on April 21, 2022.
He said that after mainstreaming, it was the responsibility of the government to honour the order by transferring their salary component from CSS funding to the State non-development head. “All State cadre employees draw salaries from this head, and we deserve the same treatment,” he said.