The salaries of outsourced teachers in BBMP schools and colleges get salaries may soon become less than the wages of Pourakarmikas on contract.
Presently, Pourakarmikas on contract get Rs 12,000 per month and if the government’s new announcement is implemented, their gross salary will be more than Rs 17,000.
On the other hand, salaries of teachers hired on contract ranges between Rs 8,366 and 16,900. Also, the entire salary does not reach them. Besides Employees’ State Insurance (ESI) and provident fund, 11% is deducted from their salaries by their employer, Crystal Infosystems and Services.
Palike has outsourced the supply of teachers to Crystal, just as it has enlisted the services of the firm to provide data entry operators, supervisors and technicians. It is the ‘empanelled vendor’ for the government to supply manpower and provide ‘expertise’ in digitising government records. Crystal’s engagement with BBMP goes back to 2010.
BBMP education officer Shivanna says there are 531 Crystal teachers in its 154 schools and colleges, including four degree colleges.
Among the 531 outsourced teachers, 78 are in nursery schools, 58 in primary schools, 238 in high schools, 94 in pre-university colleges and 45 in degree colleges. Nursery and primary school teachers draw a salary of Rs 8,366, high school teachers get Rs 11,840, PU college teachers are paid Rs 14,697 and degree college teachers get Rs 16,897, says the officer.
“If the degree college teacher has MPhil degree, he or she gets Rs 18,000,” the officer said.
During the BBMP council meeting on July 31, Maruthi Mandira corporator and former mayor N Shanthakumari said at least Rs 4,800 is deducted from the salaries of high school teachers as service charges.
“These teachers get a paltry sum and if service charges are deducted from their salaries, what will be left with them? Will they teach children dedicatedly? Can you expect somebody to survive with a pay that Pourakarmikas are not ready to accept?” says Shanthakumari.
However, Crystal denied these charges. Vijay Kumar, an executive with Crystal, says, “We collect 11% as service charges from teachers. This deduction is as per our terms and conditions mentioned in the contract with BBMP. We were shocked when we heard that we deduct Rs 4,800. This is wrong.”
He says his firm has to update the BBMP’s account section every month as to how much money has been deposited in the teachers’ bank accounts. Else, the payment will not be released to them.
Due to low wages, outsourced teachers hardly stay in these schools and colleges. Often, they quit the job in the middle of the academic year, leaving students in the lurch, says Shanthakumari.
The Crystal executive agrees. “The attrition rate is about 30% and most of those who move out of BBMP schools are college teachers. The problem is more with science and maths teachers. They get job in private schools. We have to hire new people often.”