Orders for old pension issued; 1700 teachers in M’wada to get benefit

Aurangabad, Oct 31:

The Higher and Technical Education Department issued orders on Friday for the implementation of the old pension scheme for non-NET/SET teachers.

The orders will benefit around 1700 teachers from Marathwada. It may be noted that the State Government stopped the old pension scheme from November 2005 and introduced a contributory fund for new employees. The teachers who had not qualified National State Eligibility Test (N/SET) joined senior colleges from October 23, 1992, to April 3, 2000, through a competent selection committee. The Government made NET/SET compulsory to become a full-time teacher in granted colleges. During their service, the teachers obtained eligibility.

But, the Government refused the pension to the teachers in 2013. The NET/SET Sangharsh Samiti moved the Aurangabad bench of Bombay High Court, which cancelled the circular.

The court directed the Government to give old pension scheme benefits to such teachers. Yet, teaches were waiting to get a pension. The teachers' unions met the ministers to clear the long-pending issue. President of NET/SET Sangharsh Samiti Dr Govind Kale said that Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray took the historic decision of implementing an old pension scheme for the teachers who joined the service between 1992 and 2000.