Contract teachers pay hike, many remain unsatisfied

MUMBAI: The state government has announced a modest relief for thousands of teachers working on a clock-hour basis (CHB) in secondary schools and junior colleges across the state. As per a government resolution issued on Wednesday, the hourly remuneration revision for CHB teachers came into effect on Thursday.

According to the revised pay structure, secondary school teachers will earn ₹250 per hour, up from the previous ₹120. Before the last pay hike in 2022, schoolteachers received ₹72 per hour. Likewise, teachers in higher secondary and junior colleges will receive ₹300 per hour, double the earlier rate of ₹150. Before 2022, they received ₹60 per hour.

The state has employed 4,133 CHB teachers in recognized institutions under eight educational departments. Despite being hired on a contract basis, they are expected to fulfil the same duties as a full-time teacher. For many years, they have voiced frustration over stagnant wages and lack of job security, but the government reviews and revises their pay only once every three years.

While the hike brings some short-term relief, CHB teachers continue to demand lasting solutions like regular appointments, fair pay, and better working conditions that reflect their qualifications and contributions to the education system.

An economics teacher from a junior college in Malad, who has been teaching for three years, pointed out that despite meeting the same qualifications as the full-time teachers, CHB staff struggle to make ends meet. “There was no change in my remuneration all these years. I get around six lectures a week. After accounting for holidays, I barely make ₹3,000 to ₹3,200 a month,” she said. “Living in a city like Mumbai on this income is impossible. I had to take up another job to survive.”

A psychology teacher from a college in Borivali echoed similar concerns. “Besides teaching, we are asked to handle non-academic duties, but we are not paid anything extra for it. We urge the government to either offer full-time appointments to eligible teachers or at least fix a minimum monthly salary of ₹15,000,” she said. She also said the timing of the announcement meant most CHB teachers would not benefit from the increase until after the summer break in June.

Mukund Andhalkar, president of the Junior College Teachers’ Association, criticized the hike as too little. “This revision has come after three years, and even now, it doesn’t reflect the actual cost of living. In cities, maintaining a basic lifestyle on such pay is extremely difficult. The government must consider fixing a minimum income for CHB teachers,” he said.