Shillong, May 6 (PTI) Teachers’ associations in Meghalaya on Wednesday said they opposed the government’s proposed Centralised Fund Scheme and walked out of a meeting with the education department officials, alleging attempts to “force” registration despite the matter being pending before the High Court.
The scheme is an initiative to unify provident fund management for over 30,000 non-government education employees, including deficit, ad hoc, and SSA teachers.
The deficit teachers are staff at private, aided schools where the government pays their salaries to bridge the “deficit” in fees.
The Meghalaya College Teachers’ Association (MCTA) and the Khasi Jaintia Deficit School Teachers’ Association (KJDSTA) also protested the exclusion of certain stakeholders from the discussions and objected to the presence of bank officials during the meeting.
The meeting, chaired by Education Commissioner and Secretary Vijay Mantri, was convened to discuss the Meghalaya Non-Government Schools and Colleges Employees Centralised Fund Scheme, 2026.
KJDSTA president Bosswell Pala said representatives of both associations attended the meeting but decided to walk out as there was “no point” in continuing the discussions under the prevailing circumstances.
Pala alleged that the Garo Hills Deficit School Teachers & Employees Association and the Meghalaya College Non-Teaching Employees Association were not invited to the meeting.
“If the government truly wants to hear the concerns of deficit teachers and employees, then all associations and all deficit employees should be invited,” he said.
The associations rejected the government’s decision to implement the 2026 scheme and demanded that the authorities revert to the draft scheme approved in 2023.
Pala alleged that the government was attempting to push registration for the new scheme even though the issue remains sub judice before the Meghalaya High Court.
“The government itself is waiting for the High Court’s decision, yet registration for the 2026 scheme is being pushed. All we are asking for is what is rightfully ours,” he said.
The KJDSTA leader also criticised attempts to bring deficit employees under the Meghalaya Provident Fund Act, 1969.
“They are trying to create the impression that the Meghalaya Provident Fund Act, 1969, can include us. That is misleading and unjust when we already have a law specifically meant for us. We cannot accept that,” he added.
The associations further objected to the inclusion of bank officials and members of the newly constituted Board of Trustees (BOT) in the discussions, claiming there was lack of clarity over the proposed mechanism under the revised scheme.
Meanwhile, the Education Department Commissioner and Secretary said that the issue where retired employees requested permission for 100 per cent withdrawal of the contributory provident fund (CPF) amount accumulated in their accounts has also been discussed.
“After due deliberation, the department has taken a positive decision in this regard and asked SBI officials to furnish the detailed statement of all concerned employees by the 10th of this month,” he said.
The statements will thereafter be verified by the concerned directorates, following which authorisation will be issued enabling eligible retired teachers and lecturers to approach SBI and withdraw 100 per cent of the accumulated CPF amount standing in their accounts, he added. PTI JOP NN
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