Guwahati, July 16: The Assam State Primary Teachers’ Association has criticised Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s defence of the National Pension System (NPS), reiterated its demand for restoration of the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) and warned of agitation if pending sick leave allowances, unpaid since January, are not released immediately.
The association said sick leave allowance is a statutory entitlement of teachers, not a charitable concession from the government, and called for prompt payment of the arrears. “The sick leave allowance is not charity and is the right of teachers and employees. It should have been released from January. If the dues are not paid immediately, we will be compelled to launch an agitation,” said Ratul Chandra Goswami, a member of the association.
Rejecting both the NPS and the newly introduced Unified Pension Scheme (UPS), the teachers’ body said the OPS remains its only acceptable pension model. Goswami added that the association was unconcerned by claims that some employees prefer the NPS and pointed to the All Assam Workers’ Parishad’s longstanding demand for repeal of the NPS and reinstatement of the OPS.
The remarks followed Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s defence of the government’s decision to retain the NPS during Budget discussions in the Assembly, where he also outlined an option for employees to shift to the UPS. The Chief Minister argued that more than 1.5 lakh youths recruited by the state government are already covered under the NPS and said the scheme could, in many cases, provide better post-retirement benefits. He added that government employees would be free either to continue under the NPS or to opt for the UPS.
The pension debate resurfaced in the Assembly on Wednesday when Finance Minister Jayanta Mallabaruah told the House that the government is processing implementation of the Old Pension Scheme for employees whose recruitment process began before February 1, 2005.
Mallabaruah said the Finance Department had sought detailed information from all administrative departments in March 2025 to implement the Budget announcement made under the state’s Astadash Mukutar Unnoyonee Mala initiative.
The Finance Minister also informed the Assembly that Dearness Allowance and Dearness Relief had been increased to 60 per cent from June 2026, while cautioning that the timing of salary revisions and service benefits depends on the state’s financial position and recommendations of the State Pay Commission.
The standoff highlights continuing tensions over pension policy and pending entitlements for teachers and other employees in Assam, with the teachers’ association pressing for the OPS and immediate settlement of sick leave allowances to avoid protests.
Original Source: https://assamtribune.com/guwahati/primary-teachers-reject-cms-nps-stand-threaten-protest-over-pending-sick-leave-dues-1614352
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Publish Date: 2026-07-16 16:13:00
