8th Pay Commission Latest News: Teachers Seek Retirement Age Hike and OPS Return

Central government school teachers have placed some major demands before the 8th Pay Commission. They want the retirement age pushed to 65 and the Old Pension Scheme brought back. But will these demands be accepted? All eyes are on the final decision.

There's a lot of buzz among central government employees about the upcoming 8th Pay Commission. Adding to the excitement, a union of central government school teachers has put forward a list of major demands regarding salary, pension, retirement age, leave, promotions, and medical benefits. The two biggest demands are bringing back the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) and increasing the retirement age for teachers from 60 to 65 years.

According to reports, a teachers' union associated with the All India NPS Employees Federation (AINPSEF) presented these demands during a meeting with the 8th Pay Commission in New Delhi on August 7. The delegation included representatives from Kendriya Vidyalayas, Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas, Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas, and various government schools in Delhi.

One of the most significant demands from the teachers is the reinstatement of the Old Pension Scheme (OPS). A large number of central government employees are currently covered under the National Pension System (NPS), which also includes a Unified Pension Scheme (UPS) for those under its umbrella. However, the teachers' union is firm on its demand to bring back the old pension structure.

Another major proposal is to raise the retirement age from 60 to 65. The union argues that since teachers under the University Grants Commission (UGC) can work until 65, the same rule should apply to central government school teachers. They also called for more consistency in pay, allowances, and service conditions for central government teachers working across the country, suggesting that benefits should be decided based on the cost of living in different regions.

The teachers' union has also asked for 14 days of Casual Leave, 30 days of Earned Leave, and 20 days of Medical Leave annually. Furthermore, they have proposed Child Care Leave for single male teachers who are the sole breadwinners of their families, and cashless medical treatment during their service period.

For teachers in Delhi government schools, the union has demanded the option to choose between the Delhi Government Employees Health Scheme and the Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS) after retirement. The proposal also includes changes to the promotion structure. The union wants a significant portion of Principal vacancies to be filled through departmental promotions. They also suggested creating a new post called 'Head of Subject' with a grade pay of ₹5,400.

Additionally, they have demanded an increase in the grade pay for Vice-Principals to ₹6,600. For Delhi government teachers, the proposal includes a 100% departmental quota for promotions to the Vice-Principal post. It's important to be clear here: the retirement age of 65 or the return of OPS are not officially approved decisions yet. These are simply demands submitted by the teachers' union to the 8th Pay Commission. The commission will formulate its recommendations after considering feedback from various employee unions and stakeholders. The central government will then take the final call.

In short, if the 8th Pay Commission considers these proposals and the government approves them, we could see major changes in the pension and retirement rules for central government teachers. For now, both the retirement age of 65 and the return of OPS are just demands, not confirmed decisions.