CBSE/ICSE teachers to get 100% pay hike in Kerala

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Over 1.25 lakh teachers in the CBSE/ICSE boards would see their salaries doubled following a landmark verdict from the Kerala high court on Friday.

The court directed self-financing school managements to initiate the process as an interim measure with immediate effect. Apart from the teachers, nearly 30,000 non-teaching staff will also benefit from the verdict.

The court asked the boards to enforce a condition on minimum salary when affiliation is sought by a school. The minimum monthly salary should be Rs.10,000 for primary schools teachers, Rs.15,000 for secondary school teachers, and Rs.20,000 for senior secondary school teachers.

There should also be additional allowances to head masters and principals of schools by all self-financing schools in Kerala, the court ruled.

The court observed that unless fair wages are paid to teaching staff and non-teaching staff, and unless their service conditions are reasonably fixed, unaided private schools will not get quality staff. This will affect the coaching and, in turn, the educational standards.

The court made it clear that no manipulation with regard to the payment of salary should be allowed – like, operation of bank accounts of teachers through principal or by any other agent.

The court passed the order as an interim measure and asked the state and the Centre and the CBSE ICSE boards to take appropriate action, keeping in mind the scales of pay of government and aided school teachers in Kerala -- the lowest of which is Rs 15,000 a month – as also the fact that even last grade employees of the state are paid above Rs 10,000 a month.

At present, as per a government order, the managements should give a salary of Rs 7,000 to HM, Rs 6,000 for HSA, Rs 5,000 for primary teachers, Rs 4,000 for clerks, and Rs 3,500 for peon and Class IV employees.

The court also made it clear that every teacher should be allowed to start and operate bank account in any branch of any bank of his/her choice and no institution should be allowed to retain cheque books of any teacher.

If any manipulation or violation is found, appropriate action including withdrawal of NOC and affiliation as well as permissible criminal action should be taken against the management and the principals involved, it ruled.