Raphael Warjri

Several organisations representing deficit schools and colleges in Meghalaya have opposed the Meghalaya Non-Government School and Colleges Employees Centralised Fund Scheme, 2026, and urged the state government to act in line with existing legal provisions while protecting the interests of teachers and non-teaching staff, especially retirees facing financial constraints.

Addressing the media on Tuesday, KJDSTA president Boswell Pala said the associations had welcomed the Chief Minister’s April 1 announcement on a unified pension scheme acknowledging the contribution of teachers. However, he noted that serious concerns had been raised over the 2026 scheme, which, following detailed consultations, was rejected by multiple bodies, with formal objections already submitted to the government.

He stated that the present scheme differs significantly from the 2023 draft that had been widely deliberated upon and placed before the court. He further alleged that despite stiff opposition and the matter being sub judice, the government has initiated steps to roll out the scheme, including issuing directives to serving and retired employees to open PRAN accounts under the new framework.

Boswel Pala cautioned that such moves could effectively compel stakeholders to come under the new scheme, potentially impacting their pension entitlements. He maintained that existing laws clearly demarcate pension coverage based on the date of appointment, with employees appointed prior to April 2010 governed by the 1969 Provident Fund Act, while those appointed thereafter fall under the National Pension System. He asserted that the 2026 scheme fails to uphold this key legal distinction.