WB DA Arrear: Despite a clear mandate from the Supreme Court, thousands of teachers and non-teaching staff in West Bengal’s government-aided schools and madrasahs remain empty-handed. While the state has begun addressing arrears for direct government employees, this massive workforce feels systematically sidelined. Seeking an end to this discrimination, the All Post Graduate Teachers’ Welfare Association (APGTWA) has now formally approached Justice Indu Malhotra, Chairperson of the Supreme Court-appointed Monitoring Committee.
The core of the issue dates back to February 5, 2026, when the Supreme Court delivered a landmark ruling. The apex court upheld that Dearness Allowance is a legal right, ordering the clearance of all pending dues for the period between April 1, 2008, and December 31, 2019.
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The Indu Malhotra Committee’s Oversight
A bench comprising Justices Sanjay Karol and Prashant Kumar Mishra constituted a high-level committee to ensure the state complies with the payout. Led by former Supreme Court judge Justice Indu Malhotra, this body is responsible for auditing the total liability and streamlining the payment schedule.
However, a fresh controversy erupted following the Finance Department’s Notification No. 998-F(P2), issued on March 13, 2026. While the order laid out the roadmap for state employees and pensioners, it remained conspicuously silent on the fate of staff working in grant-in-aid institutions.
Growing Resentment Among Educators
The APGTWA has raised a red flag, noting that permanent teachers, librarians, and support staff under the 5th State Pay Commission have not received a single rupee of their arrears. To make matters worse, there has been no official word from the administration on if or when their dues will be processed.
This exclusion flies in the face of established norms. The association points to the School Education Department’s Memo No. 46–SE(B)/5B-1/2009, dated February 27, 2009, which categorically states that Pay Commission benefits are not exclusive to direct government staff. Sponsored and aided institution employees are entitled to the same benefits at identical rates.
Teachers argue that they perform the same duties as their government-school counterparts—from classroom teaching and evaluation to sensitive election duties. Being treated as “second-class” employees when it comes to financial rights is a pill they are no longer willing to swallow.
The Legal Standing
The association’s claim is backed by a solid legal paper trail. Finance Department Resolution No. 6020-F (dated August 28, 2008) explicitly brought aided school staff under the Pay Commission’s umbrella. Administratively, there is no hurdle to paying them, yet they remain ignored.
In his letter to Justice Indu Malhotra, APGTWA General Secretary Chandan Garai urged the committee to intervene immediately. He requested a time-bound directive to ensure that the grant-in-aid sector receives their rightful arrears, aligning them with the schedule followed for regular government staffers.
Compliance Watch: What Lies Ahead?
The Supreme Court has scheduled the next hearing for Today, April 15, 2026, to monitor compliance. Previously, the bench had dismissed the state’s “fiscal crunch” plea, asserting that financial constraints cannot be an excuse to deny statutory employee rights.
The court had originally set a March 31, 2026, deadline for the first 25% installment of the arrears. Since the aided school sector was entirely left out of this initial payout, the APGTWA’s direct appeal to Justice Indu Malhotra is being seen as a critical move before the upcoming court date.
