Protests erupt across multiple states as employees of the 'Samagra Shiksha' program and similar contract roles escalate calls for improved wages, regularisation, and benefits. This widespread discontent centers on what workers describe as persistent job insecurity and inadequate compensation, despite years of service in critical educational capacities.
Recent demonstrations, notably in Andhra Pradesh on May 15, 2026, saw employees demanding immediate government action on long-standing issues. Key demands articulated by the Samagra Shiksha Contract and Outsourcing Employees Federation include:
Regularisation of services and integration into the formal Education Department.
Implementation of an HR policy ensuring consistent working conditions.
Adherence to the principle of 'equal pay for equal work', referencing Supreme Court directives.
Salary revisions and the provision of service benefits like provident fund, ESI, and pensions.
An increase in the retirement age to 62 years.
Concrete measures to guarantee job security.
Federation leaders have issued stern warnings, indicating a potential escalation of their agitation should the government fail to respond favorably to these demands. The call for unity among employees across districts underscores the organized nature of this burgeoning movement.
Salary Cuts and Financial Strain Spark Rallies
The unrest is not confined to a single region. In Punjab, approximately 1,000 non-teaching employees under the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan announced a protest rally for April 18, 2026, citing a substantial monthly salary cut of ₹31,000 following recent pay revisions. These employees, some with nearly two decades of service, report that the reduction has plunged their families into financial distress. Officials, however, stated the employees had been regularised and were receiving probation pay scales applicable to all government employees.
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Call for Regularisation Echoes in Maharashtra and Telangana
Maharashtra saw contractual teachers and non-teaching staff protesting at Azad Maidan on March 10, 2026, demanding the state government regularise their services. The 'Samagra Shiksha Sangharsh Samiti' had given a March 7 deadline for a government resolution to regularise the remaining 3,378 staff members. These individuals argue they perform crucial functions, from classroom instruction to managing central education portals.
In Telangana, similar demonstrations have been ongoing. Teachers and staff from Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas (KGBVs), Urban Residential Schools, and Samagra Shiksha staged a 'Maha Dharna' on March 27, 2026, demanding minimum wages and regularisation. Leaders highlighted the vital roles these institutions play, with KGBVs serving orphan and semi-orphan girls, URS institutions rehabilitating street children, and Samagra Shiksha staff supporting primary education. Calls for equal benefits, funeral expenses, and ex-gratia payments were also voiced.
Persistent Issues: Low Wages and Transfer Concerns
The demand for a minimum monthly wage of ₹26,000 was raised by around 4,600 outsourced employees in Andhra Pradesh's Samagra Shiksha wing, who initiated a strike on December 20, 2023, citing unpaid salaries for three months. Their unions urged the government to engage in talks to alleviate their financial hardship.
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More recently, on March 31, 2026, contract teachers in Andhra Pradesh alleged forced transfers, which Samagra Shiksha officials stated were in line with contractual terms. Union representatives questioned how teachers could sustain themselves on a meagre ₹26,000 monthly salary while facing relocation expenses, demanding an immediate halt to these transfers.
The protracted struggle of these contracted educators points to systemic issues within educational programs funded by initiatives like 'Samagra Shiksha', a centrally sponsored scheme integrating school education from pre-school to Class 12. Their protests reflect a broader demand for recognition, fair remuneration, and stable employment in the public education sector.
