Srinagar, June 20: In a significant development for thousands of teachers across Jammu and Kashmir, the School Education Department has officially clarified that five years of service rendered by Rehbar-e-Taleem (ReT) teachers before their regularisation will continue to be counted for pensionary and retirement benefits.
The clarification has ended months of uncertainty and anxiety among members of the teaching community, many of whom feared that the long-standing benefit could be withdrawn due to differing interpretations of government orders and court rulings.
The department, through a formal communication addressed to the Principal Accountant General (A&E), J&K, reaffirmed that Cabinet Decision No. 115/09/2014 dated June 19, 2014 had approved the reckoning of five years of ReT service prior to regularisation for pension and retirement purposes. The decision was subsequently implemented through Government Order No. 469-Edu of 2014 dated June 25, 2014.
According to the clarification, while certain provisions of the order related to seniority were later struck down, the benefits concerning pension and retirement remained intact and legally valid. The department has also urged that pension cases of similarly situated ReT teachers be processed accordingly, ensuring uniform implementation of the policy.
The issue surfaced after a query raised through the Zonal Education Office (ZEO) Banihal created confusion regarding the interpretation of the rules governing pension benefits for ReT teachers. The uncertainty quickly spread across the teaching fraternity, leading to widespread concern among employees approaching retirement.
Many teachers viewed the matter as a direct threat to benefits they had earned through years of service in some of the most challenging educational environments of the region.
Reacting strongly to the development, JKReTTF Chief Spokesperson Muzaffar Ahmad Wani said the latest clarification has vindicated the stand consistently maintained by the teachers' forum.
He asserted that JKReTTF had relied on rules, logic, and factual interpretation from the beginning and had repeatedly argued that the government's original decision regarding pensionary benefits remained fully applicable.
Wani criticized what he described as the flawed approach adopted by certain officials who allegedly bypassed established procedures and contributed to unnecessary confusion. According to him, the controversy caused mental stress and uncertainty among thousands of ReT teachers across Jammu and Kashmir.
"The issue was unnecessarily complicated despite clear provisions in the government decision. Teachers were made to worry about their future retirement benefits, even though the rules were always on their side," he said.
Following the clarification, JKReTTF leaders have called upon the Zonal Education Officer Banihal and the Chief Education Officer Ramban to review how the matter was handled and ensure greater accountability in dealing with sensitive establishment issues.
The forum has emphasized that administrative decisions affecting employee welfare must be handled with utmost care and professionalism. It warned that misinterpretation of service rules can have far-reaching consequences for employees and create avoidable hardship.
The department's clarification is expected to bring immediate relief to eligible ReT teachers whose pension cases are pending settlement. It also provides a clear and authoritative basis for the Accountant General's office and other authorities to process retirement benefits without ambiguity.
For thousands of ReT teachers who dedicated years of service before being regularised, the decision represents not only financial security but also recognition of their contribution to the education sector.
With the government position now firmly on record, the long-running controversy appears to have been settled, restoring confidence among the teaching fraternity and paving the way for the smooth settlement of pension cases across Jammu and Kashmir.
