UGC arrears: Kerala govt to release dues to retired teachers; serving teachers continue legal fight

Thiruvananthapuram: The UDF-led Kerala Government has issued an order to release UGC pay arrears to around 700 retired teachers from aided colleges, following a Kerala High Court verdict in a case filed by a group of retired teachers.

The decision covers teachers who have already retired from various aided colleges across the state. Their pending salary arrears relate to the 2016-19 period.

However, the decision does not settle the issue for teachers who are still in service. Serving college teachers continue their legal fight for payment of the same arrears.

The UGC pay revision was implemented in Kerala in 2021, but the salary arrears due for the 2016-19 period have remained unpaid.

The total arrears are estimated at around Rs 1,500 crore. The previous LDF government had withheld the payment, citing the Centre's failure to release its share of the amount.

According to the state's position, the Centre is expected to contribute around Rs 750 crore towards the total arrears.

The Centre, however, has maintained that the arrears fall under a reimbursement arrangement.

Under this system, the state government is required to make the payment first and subsequently claim reimbursement from the Centre.

The Centre has argued that the benefits should first be provided to college teachers and that the state government had not submitted the relevant accounts within the stipulated period to claim reimbursement.

Retired teachers to receive arrears

Amid the continuing dispute, the Kerala Private College Teachers' Association (KPCTA), a Congress-affiliated organisation representing college teachers, approached the Kerala High Court over the non-payment of the arrears.

While the petition was under consideration, the government moved to release the pending amount to college teachers who have already retired.

The latest government order therefore provides relief specifically to the retired teachers covered by the decision.

Following the decision, KPCTA state president Dr Premachandran Keezhoth and general secretary Dr A Abraham urged the government to extend the same benefit to teachers who are currently in service.

They demanded that the government ensure payment of the 2016-19 UGC pay arrears to serving college teachers as well.