7th Pay Commission strike: Pay to pension, here is what these teachers want

7th Pay Commission: A number of BJP ruled states have cleared the seventh pay commission salary benefits for its employees as well as teachers, but there are some that are still left out and the teachers there have taken things in their own hands to lodge their concerns and highlight their problems. Teachers in Jharkhand staged a dharna outside Raj Bhavan on Wednesday last and even boycotted Teachers Day celebrations. The protesting teachers were around 7200 in  number. They were protestinng under the banner of Jharkhand Rajya Alpasankhyak Prathamik evam Madhyamik Vidyalaya Shikshak Shikshaketar Samanvay Samiti, according to the Telegraph.

Almost 3,500 teachers took part in the demonstration outside Raj Bhavan from 11am to 4pm. According to the report some 1,023 minority schools were shut because due to the dharna as teachers were not present in the schools.

"What's the point of celebrating Teachers Day when we aren't happy? Our protest will continue if our demands are not met," said Basant Kumar Mishra, state vice-president of Jharkhand Alpasankhyak Prathamik Vidyalaya Shikshak Sangh.

Following are the 4 basic demand of teachers:
1. Payment on par with the 7th pay commission pay scales as per panel report recommendations
2. Implementation of New Pension Scheme 2004
3. Encashment of 300 leaves on retirement 
4. Grade pay of Rs 5,400 after completing 24 years of service

Significantly, this was not for the first time that the teachers tried to reach the government to highlight their demands, according to them there was a lack of response from the authorities. About 74 schools in East Singhbhum and 128 schools in Ranchi were closed because of the mass leave taken by teachers.

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Notably, in the state of Uttar Pradesh, on Teacher's Day, UP CM Yogi Adityanath ordered implementation of 7th pay commission pay scales as per the panel's report recommendations for professors and teachers. This move will cost the state as much as Rs 921.54 crore every year.