Maharashtra government today said it is considering a proposal to provide pension to retired untrained primary school teachers teaching in state-run schools across the state.
"All untrained teachers, who have joined service after 1 July 1972 have been denied retirement benefits. During the Assembly session of July 2012, the Chairman had also directed the government to look into this matter and make the necessary amendments. But nothing has been done till now," MLC Ramnath Mote said while speaking during the Question Hour.
Mote said these untrained teachers should be given retirement benefits on humanitarian grounds.
While replying to Mote, State Education Minister Vinod Tawde informed the House that currently there are a total of 1,622 untrained primary school teachers, out of which 461 have already retired from service. To provide pension benefits to these 1,622 teachers, the state will have to cough up Rs 45.21 crore.
"It is right to talk about humanity when we talk of providing pension to these untrained teachers, but, they can get post retirement benefits only when they fall within the stipulated guidelines," Tawde said.
"These teachers were asked by the state government to get trained, so that they can avail benefits but they declined saying that the exam pattern has changed. We fail to understand what is the relation between they getting trained and the exam pattern changing," he added.
Tawde said that the education department is concerned about the fate of untrained school teachers and a decision in this regard will be taken after consulting the finance department.
"The state will have to bear an additional cost of Rs 45.21 crore to give these untrained teachers post retirement benefits. But we are positively considering this proposal. The education department will take a decision after consulting the finance department," Tawde said.
