Shiksha karmis regularised in MP

Bhopal, Jun 14 (UNI) Fulfilling a poll promise made nearly four years back, Madhya Pradesh's BJP government today decided to ''abolish the shiksha karmi culture'' by regularising services of nearly 1.84 lakh people, presently working as 'shiksha karmis, contract teachers and 'gurujis', in a new category of 'adhyapaks.' ''The decision, taken at a cabinet meeting presided over by Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, will entail an additional annual fiscal burden of Rs 150 crore on the state exchequer,'' School Education Minister Narottam Mishra told reporters after the meeting.

The decision, benefitting about 80,000 'shiksha karmis,' one lakh contract teachers and 4,000 gurujis, would come into retrospective effect from April 1, 2007. The 'adhyapaks' would also receive dearness allowance of 20 per cent at par with government employees from April 1, 2007.

New pay scales fixed include Rs 5,000-175-8,500 for senior 'adhyapaks,' Rs 4,000-125-6,500 for 'adhyapaks' and Rs 3,000-100-5,000 for assistant 'adhyapaks'. The immediate benefit for 'shiksha karmis' would range from Rs 750 to Rs 1,450 per month, Mr Mishra said, adding that the monthly honorarium for 'gurujis' had been raised to Rs 1,750 from Rs 1,000.

Contract teachers, who fulfilled minimum qualifications and completed three years' service, would be regularised as adhyapaks.

UNI