Old Pension Scheme For 99,000 MP Teachers? High Court Ruling Brings Fresh Hope As Government's Seniority Dispute Remains Pending In Supreme Court

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The Madhya Pradesh government has already approached the Supreme Court in the long-pending dispute over seniority of teachers appointed as 'Shikshakarmis', while a fresh Gwalior Bench ruling has once again brought their demand for the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) into focus.

More than 99,000 teachers appointed before Jan 1, 2005, could benefit if their original service is recognised for pension purposes. The Gwalior Bench of the Madhya Pradesh High Court, while hearing a petition filed by teacher Karuna Sharma, rejected the government's argument that the 2018 cadre merger amounted to fresh appointments.

The court held that if the government recognises teachers' previous service for seniority and career progression, it cannot disregard the same service while determining their pension eligibility. It also directed the transfer of the accumulated NPS funds of the affected teachers to OPS.

Officials of the school education department said that similar rulings had earlier been delivered by the High Court at Indore and the principal seat at Jabalpur, but the broader seniority dispute was yet to be settled.

Teachers contest 2018 merger as fresh appointment

During discussions with the government following the teachers' agitation, an understanding had emerged that gratuity benefits would be calculated from the date of their first appointment. The government was considering extending the benefits.

The dispute involves more than 99,000 teachers initially appointed as 'Shikshakarmis' through panchayats and urban local bodies between 1998 and 2005.

Although their services were later merged into the regular teaching cadre in 2018, the government treated the merger as a fresh appointment for pension purposes and brought them under the National Pension System (NPS). ]

The teachers argue that their original appointment dates should determine their pension eligibility, as their previous service is already being counted for other service benefits.

Original appointment dates should count: Teachers' body

Teachers' association president Jagdish Yadav said the government had already approached the Supreme Court in the seniority dispute, which remains pending.

He clarified that the latest ruling concerns pension eligibility and is a separate aspect of the larger dispute over recognition of previous service.

These teachers were working as teachers in government schools and government departments from their original appointment dates. Their service should be counted from that date. Those appointed before 2005 should be covered under the old pension scheme, he said.