Deficit System Withdrawal
By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, June 6: The state government on Friday assured the Khasi Jaintia Deficit School Teachers Association (KJDSTA) that its decision to phase out the deficit system will not affect the existing teachers under this category.
After a consultation meeting chaired by Vijay Mantri, Commissioner and Secretary in-charge of the Education Department, KJDSTA president AM Lyngwa told reporters the government intends to discontinue the post of deficit teachers following the superannuation of all current deficit teachers.
Lyngwa said the association had requested the government to retain the deficit system, but the government expressed its inability to do so, as it aims to establish a single category for all teachers.
She said the main objective behind this move is to bring uniformity in the salaries of teachers.
She expressed concern that the decision could negatively impact the teaching profession, as many may be discouraged from joining due to the unappealing pay structure under the new system.
She added that although the government appears firm on doing away with the deficit system, consultations with stakeholders are still ongoing before any final decision is made.
On Thursday, Education Minister Rakkam A Sangma had defended the government’s plan to phase out the deficit system in educational institutions and provincialise them, saying that the move aims to reduce fee burdens on students and bring all teachers under full government administration.
He called the initiative a historic attempt to make education both affordable and structurally coherent.
As consultations continue with heads of deficit-pattern institutions, colleges such as Shillong College may bring their fees down from around Rs 66,000 per year to around Rs 15,000 under the new structure, he said citing an example.
Giving the current financial overview of key institutes, Sangma said it is Rs 21.6 crore annually for St. Anthony’s College, Rs 12.9 crore for Shillong College, Rs 15.6 crore for St. Edmund’s College, Rs 12 crore for Lady Keane College and Rs 14.28 crore for St. Mary’s College.