NGTA teachers demand full Non-Plan salary absorption; government cites fiscal burden and assures timely payments
The ongoing agitation by the Nagaland Government Teachers’ Association (NGTA) over salary placement is more than a simple protest. At its core, it exposes the delicate balance between administrative decisions, fiscal responsibility, and central-state funding mechanics in Nagaland.
What are the teachers demanding?
The NGTA, representing mainstreamed SSA 2010 and RMSA 2013 teachers, wants their salaries fully absorbed under the State’s Non-Development (Non-Plan) head – the same category under which permanent government employees are paid.
Although the teachers were mainstreamed into the State cadre in 2022, part of their salaries continues to flow through the Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS) under Samagra Shiksha. For 2024–25, the central share amounts to around ₹78 crore.
From the teachers’ perspective, administrative mainstreaming should automatically include full financial absorption, removing any dependency on central support.
What Does the Government Say?
The State Government acknowledges the administrative mainstreaming and ensures all entitlements – pay scales, benefits, and standing instructions – are in place. However, full Non-Plan placement is constrained by fiscal reality:
- Shifting the entire salary to the State budget would eliminate central support of ₹78 crore.
- This would impose an additional ₹80 crore annual burden on the State.
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The Finance Department argues that maintaining partial central support is a practical compromise that balances teachers’ rights with the State’s limited revenue capacity. Salaries are being paid regularly, and delays that occurred in 2025–26 were due to the introduction of the SNA SPARSH system, which has since stabilized.
The Core issue: Mainstreaming vs Financial Absorption
The dispute highlights a semantic and structural tension:
- Does “mainstreaming” imply administrative integration only?
- Or does it imply complete financial absorption by the State?
This distinction is critical. While the State recognizes teachers as full cadre employees, the funding mechanics – a mix of State and Central contributions – prevent a simple shift.
Path Forward: Conditional solutions
The Government hints that full absorption may only be feasible if:
- Central support ends
- State finances improve, or
- Cabinet revisits mainstreaming rules.
In the meantime, the phased or conditional approach ensures teachers are paid, while the State manages its budget prudently.
Why This Matters
The dispute is not just a salary issue. It reveals:
- How central–state funding dependencies shape policy implementation.
- The fiscal constraints faced by smaller states like Nagaland.
- The challenge of converting scheme-based positions into permanent State liabilities.
