Nagaland RMSA teachers seek CM's intervention on pay scale

Kohima, June 22: The Nagaland RMSA Teachers Association (2016 Batch) has appealed to Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio to intervene and ensure implementation of a court-directed pay scale, warning that continued delays could impact upcoming school examinations.

In an open letter to the Chief Minister, the association said more than a decade after their appointment under the erstwhile Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA), teachers continue to serve on fixed pay despite performing the same duties as regular government teachers.

The association noted that the issue of pay parity led to a prolonged legal battle that culminated in a favourable judgment from the Gauhati High Court’s Kohima Bench in 2022. Earlier this year, the Supreme Court dismissed both the Special Leave Petition and the subsequent Review Petition filed in the matter, effectively upholding the principle of “Equal Pay for Equal Work.”

According to the teachers, despite the legal victory and a court-directed pay band of ₹9,300–34,800 with grade pay of ₹4,200, the order has yet to be implemented. The association also claimed that salaries for the past two months remain unpaid.

The teachers said they had suspended a three-week agitation last year after receiving assurances that the issue would be resolved following the disposal of the review petition. However, with no progress on implementation, frustration among members has grown.

The association further argued that RMSA posts were created with approvals from the Cabinet and relevant government departments to meet permanent academic needs in upgraded government high schools, and should not be treated as temporary positions.

Warning that the prolonged delay is affecting morale, the association said the issue comes at a crucial time, with first-phase final examinations for Classes 8 and 9 scheduled to begin on June 24.

Appealing for immediate intervention, the teachers urged the state government to honour the court’s ruling and recognise the decade-long service rendered by RMSA educators across urban, rural and remote parts of Nagaland.

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