Patna:In a move with far-reaching implications for 3.5 lakh ‘niyojit’ teachers in Bihar, the Patna high court has undertaken an examination of their constitutional entitlement to retirement benefits, including pension and gratuity at par with other regular employees of local self-govt bodies.Niyojit teachers have been appointed in primary, middle and high schools run by panchayati raj institutions (PRIs) at village, block and district levels, as well as urban local bodies (ULBs) in Bihar.A single bench of justice Purnendu Singh, while hearing a writ petition filed by Vinay Kumar Shrivastava, held the state govt accountable for providing retiral benefits to niyojit teachers and sought replies from the additional chief secretary and principal secretaries of the education and panchayati raj departments. The order was passed on Tuesday and came into the public domain on Thursday.The court examined the issue against the constitutional framework, noting that Article 243G empowers PRIs in matters of economic development and social justice, while the 11th Schedule places primary and secondary education under rural local bodies.Justice Singh also referred to the Right to Education (RTE) Act, 2009, which mandates fair service conditions and salary structures for schoolteachers.
