Shillong, Oct 13: Deficit school teachers and employees under the Khasi Jaintia Deficit School Teachers’ Association (KJDSTA) and the Garo Hills Deficit School Teachers’ Association (GHDSTA) commenced their three-day mass casual leave agitation on Tuesday to protest against the government’s failure to address their pending demands.
KJDSTA president Boswell Pala said the Education Department’s reply issued by Joint Secretary D. Lyngdoh on October 8 “completely failed to address the primary demands” including revocation of the CPF Scheme 2026 and restoration of the Board of Trustees (BoT).”
Instead of agreeing to withdraw the scheme, the government’s letter asked teachers to register for a Permanent Retirement Account Number (PRAN) to implement Scheme 2026,” Pala said.
On the BoT, Pala said the government has proposed including deficit teachers in the board constituted on April 27, 2026, a proposal the associations have rejected.
“The letter did not reply to the points of demand. There were points on which it chose to be silent completely,” Pala said.
In its October 8 reply, the government had defended the new scheme, stating that on Centralised Provident Fund (CPF), teachers with SBI accounts may apply for PRAN and submit it to the DSEO for crediting CPF contributions – both employee and employer share – while those without SBI accounts should await instructions as the Board of Trustees is obtaining GSTN for mapping PRANs. Withdrawal by retired teachers has been permitted, it said.
On demand for representation on the BoT, the Department said it has been “duly noted” and communication has been sent to the Chairperson of the BoT to review its composition.
On the demand for implementation of the 2023 Draft CPF Scheme, the government cited the High Court judgment dated September 10, 2026 in WP(C) No. 281 of 2017 which upheld the Scheme notified on March 18, 2026, quoting the Court that “The issuance of notification dated 18.03.2026 notifying the 2026 Scheme under the 1969 Act projects substantial compliance of the terms of remand of the matter by the Apex Court. Hence, there remains no further issue to be adjudicated.”
The Court had clarified it had not gone into merits of objections regarding architecture and investment mechanism and petitioners were at liberty to challenge the scheme through appropriate proceedings.
On Dearness Allowance, the government said DA arrears at 43 per cent for January-February 2024 have been released through sanction order dated September 28, forwarded to Treasury on September 29, and that DA at 51 per cent w.e.f July 1, 2025 and 53 per cent w.e.f January 1, 2026 is under process and “shall be released at the earliest… before the Puja holidays.”
The government also said recruitment against vacant sanctioned deficit posts has to be initiated by the SMC as appointing authority and that vacancies under deficit and government posts “remain distinct from engagements under Structured Pay Framework (SPF).”
Appealing to reconsider the agitation, the Department had said the academic session is approaching conclusion and it remains open to meaningful discussions.
