Gurgaon: Nearly 12,000 guest teachers in Haryana, including around 5,000 who have completed nearly 20 years of service, are ready to forgo past-service benefits and dues estimated at around Rs 4,000 crore if the state govt regularises their services immediately and provides them the status of permanent employees, guest teacher organisations said.The teachers, who were appointed on a temporary basis, have been demanding regularisation since 2014, when they launched their agitation and the then BJP govt promised action in its election manifesto. In 2019, the govt extended their service benefit up to the age of 58, but the regularisation process later became entangled in legal proceedings.With Punjab and Haryana High Court now having cleared the way for govt to take a decision, guest teacher organisations have sought an early resolution to the matter. Representatives said there is now no legal impediment preventing govt from regularising their services.Of the nearly 12,000 guest teachers, around 5,000 have already completed 20 years of service and are expected to retire within the next three years, while the remaining nearly 7,000 are likely to retire within the next eight to nine years, making an early decision particularly important for them.The teachers have also questioned the disparity in the treatment of employees doing similar work, pointing out that while nearly 5,000 guest lecturers working in colleges have been regularised after their cases were resolved, no such permanent status has been granted to the nearly 12,000 guest teachers working in schools.Teachers have raised pressing questions before the govt: if guest lecturers in colleges can be regularised, why can’t school guest teachers get the same treatment? When High Court has already granted relief, what is holding back the final decision? And if regularisation requires only an additional expenditure of around Rs 32 crore, why should the govt delay the move?According to an internal assessment carried out by Haryana govt, regularisation of the guest teachers would put an additional financial burden of around Rs 32 crore on the state.Teachers said they had been waiting since 2014 and were still prepared to accept regularisation even if it was granted with effect from 2019. They also indicated that they would be satisfied if their seniority was protected and they were granted a new pay scale equivalent to that applicable to regular employees from 2014.
