Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) West Bengal president Samik Bhattacharya on Tuesday said the state government was mulling granting state government employee status to all school teachers, including those serving in government-aided and government-sponsored schools.
Addressing a meeting organised by the BJP Teachers’ Cell at the National Library of India, Bhattacharya said the proposal formed part of the party’s broader vision for the education sector and teachers’ welfare.
“I can only speak for the BJP as a party representative, although I can tell you that the state’s Higher Education Minister has already started discussions on this. In our party, we are thinking of granting state government employee status to all school teachers in West Bengal. This is the norm in every other state where there is a BJP government,” he said.
“If this is implemented, it will not translate into significant financial gains for you as teachers. However, it will provide you with greater job security,” Bhattacharya said.
He also urged teachers to give priority to their professional responsibilities before becoming involved in politics.
“Teachers have a huge responsibility to nurture young minds, and that should always come first. You have to be careful because you can influence the lives of every student you teach,” Bhattacharya said, adding that no teachers’ or workers’ organisation should be formed with the objective of merely endorsing either his party’s or the state government’s decisions and positions.
At present, teachers employed in state-run government schools in West Bengal are recognised as state government employees. However, a large section of school teachers in the state serve in government-aided and government-sponsored schools.
While their salaries are paid, or substantially funded, by the state government and they receive pay and service benefits broadly in line with state norms, they are not classified as government employees and are governed by separate service rules under their respective school managements.