Himachal Education Dept withdraws TGT scale benefits granted to contractual appointments; cites court judgments

Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], July 18 (ANI): The Himachal Pradesh Directorate of School Education has issued formal directions to withdraw the benefits granted to teachers whose services were regularised based on specific court judgments.
The directive affects contractual appointees who were granted regular status and associated benefits such as the Trained Graduate Teacher (TGT) scale, without fulfilling the due recruitment procedures as outlined under state rules.
As per the letter of the department dated July 17, issued by the Director of School Education to all Deputy Directors of Elementary Education across the state, the department has ordered the withdrawal of benefits, earlier granted, in compliance with judgments passed in several cases.
The department has clarified that the benefit granted to teachers--particularly Language Teachers (LTs) and Shastries--whose services were regularised after December 12, 2003, and who were treated as regular from the date of initial appointment or granted the TGT Scale, "shall stand withdrawn with immediate effect."
Quoting prior legal precedents, the department stated that petitioners who were regularised on the basis of court orders must not be treated as regular from the date of their contract appointments.
Such appointments, the department emphasised, were not in accordance with the Himachal Pradesh Recruitment and Conditions of Service of Government Employees Act, 2024.
The letter further cautions against accepting any fresh claims for TGT Scale or similar benefits by individuals regularised on contractual basis post-2003. Referring to CWP No. 3341/2019 (Madan Lal), CWP No. 6582/2019 (Prem Sukh), and CWP (T) No. 5759/2008 (Subhash Chand), the Directorate said, "All such cases and representations shall be rejected accordingly, and any person/persons who have already been granted such benefits may also be withdrawn with immediate effect."
This move is expected to impact a significant number of teaching professionals, particularly those in the C&V category (Language Teachers and Shastries), who were seeking regularisation benefits and pay scale upgrades based on court interpretations.
The department has directed its IT Cell to upload the order on its official website for wider dissemination and has sent copies to the Secretary (Education), Government of Himachal Pradesh, and other key officials for compliance. (ANI)