Basic education department declines extension to award winning teachers

ALLAHABAD: The Basic Education Department turned down the request made by teachers of primary and government aided schools, some of them award winners, to increase the retirement age to 65 years from present age of 64. The teachers’ association had demanded extension of retirement age from 64 to 65 years on the pattern of Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE).
On Tuesday, thousands of principals and teachers including several award recipient teachers who had retired from their services across the state had joined in their counterparts.
Secretary, Basic Education, HL Gupta said that the retirement age of awarded teachers has already been increased from 62 to 64 years and now it is not feasible to increase it further.
He said that the state education department is a step ahead than other boards in providing facilities to its academic and non-academic staff.
The order related to non-extension of retirement year was passed on Monday by the department.
According to the CBSE rule, retirement age of national award recipient teachers is 65 years. The order has been a setback for the teachers’ association and award-winning teachers who were till Monday pressing for the extension of the retirement age.
Lalmani Dwivedi, state secretary of Uttar Pradesh Madhyamik Sikshak Sangh (Thakurai faction) has said the state education department is ‘insensitive’.
“Those awarded are the best among the whole lot of teachers across the state. The state education department should have availed their services for a year more in case the teachers wanted to render their services,” added Dwivedi.
He also raised question over non-disposal of files related to the pension and GPF of 141 male teachers and 23 female teachers in the district adding, “Despite high court order, the documents related to pension and GPF were not disposed of before retirement. After retirement the teachers have to run from pillar to post to get their work done.”