“23 years of service, yet I haven’t seen a salary of 23,000” – Para-teachers present demands to the Education Minister at Bikash Bhavan; assurance given of a quick decision.

Our Correspondent, Kolkata, July 14: A face-to-face meeting took place before the Puja festivities. After a long wait, the state’s para-teachers met with State Education Minister Deepak Barman at Bikash Bhavan. Bhagirath Ghosh, General Secretary of the Para-Teacher Oikya Mancha (Unity Forum), described the meeting as “extremely positive.”

During Tuesday’s meeting, four key demands regarding the future of approximately 41,000 para-teachers in the state were raised.

Female para-teachers have been teaching at the same schools for years; however, following marriage, the distance to their schools has increased manifold, and in many cases, even the district has changed. They sought a resolution to this issue.

Bhagirath Ghosh stated, “Despite teaching for a long 23 years, I have yet to see a salary of 23,000 rupees. However, the current government has shown goodwill. We hope that this government will accord us the respect we deserve.”

Currently, they receive a monthly salary of ₹10,000 in primary schools and ₹13,000 in high schools. Although a ₹5,000 hike was announced in the budget, it is insufficient to run a household. Therefore, they demanded the immediate creation of a permanent and rational salary structure that includes incremental pay raises.

The teachers questioned when they would actually receive the announced ₹5,000 hike. The Education Minister assured them that the increased amount would be disbursed immediately.

Many families of para-teachers who passed away while in service are not receiving gratuity payments. The Oikya Mancha handed over a list detailing these cases to the Education Minister. They demanded that one-time financial assistance and social security be ensured for these families.

Bhagirath Ghosh said, “The Education Minister listened to every word we said with great attention. He stated that the matters would be discussed with the Chief Minister and a decision would be reached quickly.”

According to sources in the Education Department, these proposals will be reviewed, and a final decision could be taken at the upcoming cabinet meeting.

This assurance has sparked new hope among the para-teachers ahead of the Puja season. However, the 41,000 para-teachers are looking for an official notification, not just verbal assurances.