Allahabad HC: Teachers Appointed Before April 1, 2005 Entitled To Benefit Under Old Pension Scheme

The petitioners were denied the benefit of the old pension scheme on the ground that their institutions were allowed grant-in-aid in 2006, i.e. after the cut-off date of April 1, 2005.

Allahabad High Court (Image Source: AFP)

Lucknow:  In a relief to teaching and non-teaching staff members of the Uttar Pradesh Basic Education Department, the Allahabad High Court ordered on Wednesday that those appointed prior to April 1 in 2005 were entitled to benefit under the old pension scheme.

The UP Senior Basic Siksha Sangh and several other individual teachers and non-teaching staffers moved the court challenging an order issued by a special secretary of the state government on March 28, 2005 whereby it implemented the new pension scheme in the Basic Education Department from April 1, 2005.

The petitioners were denied the benefit of the old pension scheme on the ground that their institutions were allowed grant-in-aid in 2006, i.e. after the cut-off date of April 1, 2005.

Justice Irshad Ali of the Lucknow bench of the high court directed the state government and the Basic Education Department to cover the petitioners under the old pension scheme and pay pension to the retired teaching and non-teaching staffers accordingly.