Amidst much fanfare, thumping beats and official praises, they were handed-over appointment letters by Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, promising a new beginning in their lives, at an event organised at LB Stadium here in October.
Yet, nearly two months later, many of them are grappling with financial distress as their first salaries are yet to be credited.
This is the situation of several hundreds of teachers who have been newly appointed by the Congress government via the District Selection Committee (DSC) 2024.
Despite receiving appointment orders on October 9, with joining date as October 10, the newly appointed teachers are yet to receive their first salary, including October and November months, leaving them in a financial limbo.
One of the main reasons behind the issue has been fixing the date of joining. After receiving appointment letters on October 9, candidates reported at the respective district educational offices on October 10. Following the counselling conducted by the DEOs, candidates received school posting orders a week later with some teachers joining the schools on October 16 and 17.
While the School Education
department decided October 10 as the date of joining, the district treasuries raised objections to this date as the date of actual joining of teachers is different as some candidates joined the work on October 16 and 17.
The treasury department officials sought clarity over the date of joining of new teachers as they cannot be paid for non-working days. Fixing October 10 as a joining date, it is learnt the Finance department sought a nod from Deputy Chief Minister Bhatti Vikramarka, who also holds the Finance portfolio. The file is yet to get approval.
“Around 60 per cent of newly appointed teachers did not get their first salary till date. So far, we have spent all our savings for coaching classes and preparation to crack the DSC. Now, our savings have dried up and several teachers are facing financial issues due to salary delay,” said a SGT who joined a government run school in Jangaon district via DSC 2024.
Newly appointed teachers lamented that several of them have not received their identity cards and permanent retirement account number despite nearly two months into joining the work. A total of 11,062 vacancies in the government and local body schools have been notified and 10,006 filled.