Question : Minimum Wages to Adhoc-Contract Teachers

(a)whether the Government is aware that thousands of teachers working on adhoc/contract basis in the country are reportedly not getting even minimum wages;
(b)if so, the details thereof and the reaction of the Government thereto;
(c)the action taken/being taken by the Government against the school managements in this regard, State/UT-wise; and
(d)the measures taken/proposed to be taken by the Government to streamline the system and ensure that at least minimum wages are paid to all contractual and adhoc teachers across the country?

MINISTER OF STATE (IC) FOR LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
(SHRI SANTOSH KUMAR GANGWAR)

(a) to (d): Under the provisions of the Minimum Wages Act, 1948, both Central and State Governments are appropriate Governments to fix, review and revise the minimum wages of the workers employed in the scheduled employment under their respective jurisdictions. Rates fixed in the Central sphere are applicable to establishments under the authority of Central Government, railway administration, mines, oil-fields, major port or any corporation established by a Central Government. These rates are equally applicable to contract and casual labourers/workers. There are 45 scheduled employments in the Central Sphere (Annexure ‘A’) which does not include contractual and adhoc teachers.

The implementation of the Act is done by the Centre as well as the States in respect of their respective jurisdiction. The compliance in the State Sphere is ensured through the State enforcement machinery. The officers of these machineries are appointed as Inspectors under the provisions of the Act. They conduct regular inspections and in the event of detection of any case of non-payment of minimum wages, they advise the employers to make payment of the shortfall of wages. In case of non-compliance, penal provisions against the defaulting employers are invoked.
* *******