Govt approves pay hike for vocational, samagra teachers

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Tuesday said the Cabinet on Tuesday approved a substantial pay hike for teachers of Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan and vocational courses to the tune of Rs 14,000 to Rs 18000.

According to the chief minister, vocational teachers will now receive Rs 38,100 per month, while teachers working at special training centres under Samagra Shiksha will get Rs 35,420.

The revised salaries are significantly higher than the earlier honorarium structure, under which vocational teachers were paid between Rs 20,000 and Rs 23,000, and Samagra Shiksha teachers received Rs 21,000 a month.

Calling it an important Cabinet decision, the Chief Minister said the increase was aimed at both improving financial security for teachers and recognising the critical role they play in Delhi’s education system. She said around 1,131 vocational teachers across the capital will benefit from the revision.

These teachers provide students with practical and skill-based education in different disciplines and are considered central to career-oriented learning in Government schools.

The decision will also benefit teachers posted at 784 Special Training Centres functioning under the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan.

These centres are designed for children who have either dropped out of school or have never been enrolled. Teachers at these centres work to prepare such children for admission into mainstream classes.

The Chief Minister said the salary revision now places Samagra Shiksha teachers on par with primary and upper primary teaching staff.

She said the Government viewed the move not simply as a pay increase but as institutional recognition of teachers who often work under demanding social and academic conditions.

According to the Chief Minister, many of these teachers deal directly with vulnerable children who require extra academic support, counselling, and regular follow-up before they can return to formal

schooling. She said motivated teachers are essential if the government wants to improve learning outcomes and reduce dropout numbers.

The Chief Minister also stressed that ensuring no child remains outside the education network is one of the government’s main priorities. She said the special training centres function as an educational bridge for children who have been disconnected from school and need structured support before rejoining regular classrooms. Officials said the salary revision is expected to improve teacher retention, as many contractual educators had been working on modest honorariums despite carrying substantial responsibilities.

The government believes that better pay will improve morale and reduce uncertainty among teachers who form a key support layer in the public education system.

Apart from the financial revision, the Chief Minister said the government is also working on improving the functioning of these centres through regular review, stronger parental counselling, and better coordination among departments.