Special education teachers in Karnataka to face salary cuts under Samagra Shiksha Scheme

Under the Samagra Shiksha Karnataka scheme, 300 directly hired contract teachers working in special schools a two-month salary cut starting this year.

Special education teachers work with students who have special needs, such as learning, physical, emotional, or mental disabilities

As per a High Court order from 2018, contract teachers were entitled to receive their salaries from June 1 to May 31 each year. However, a recent order in 2024 has reduced the contract duration to 10 months, down from the previous 12 months. The contract period, which was previously set to end on May 31, has now been revised to March 31. As a result, these teachers will see a two-month salary deduction.

In addition to their salary, the teachers do not receive any benefits such as Provident Fund (PF) or Employee State Insurance (ESI). Moreover, a professional tax of ₹200 is being deducted from their pay. The teachers, who have been hired through self-help organizations for 15 to 20 years, have been directly employed since June 1, 2018.

Currently, there are 242 teachers working in the primary and secondary school divisions, with 188 male and 112 female teachers. These teachers are assigned to educate 43,719 differently-abled students enrolled in regular schools across the state. Primary school teachers receive a monthly honorarium of ₹15,000, while secondary school teachers receive ₹25,000.

Special Role of Teachers in Schools

In 2021, the Supreme Court issued an order requiring the appointment of specially trained teachers to educate children with disabilities in schools. Following this, two teachers were assigned to each primary and secondary school in every district. However, many teachers have resigned due to low pay, and contract-based special resource teachers have become integral to the development of students with special needs.

Maharashtra’s Implementation Model

Following the Supreme Court’s order, Maharashtra filled 4,860 new positions for special education teachers. The state also regularized the positions of contract teachers working with differently-abled students in existing teaching roles. The contract teachers’ union in Karnataka has urged the government to follow a similar approach and make the positions of special education teachers permanent.

Government’s Response to Concerns

The concerns raised by the teachers have been acknowledged. “Steps will be taken to address the salary cuts and resolve the issue,” said Madhegowda, Director of Samagra Shiksha Karnataka, in response to the teachers’ concerns. However, the state government has not yet made a decision on making these positions permanent, leaving contract teachers anxious about their future job security.