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In the school system in West Bengal, para-teachers are contractual teachers who have been recruited largely for teaching remedial education or to fill gaps in the teacher workforce, particularly in the case of marginalised sections of society. Para-teachers are important resources for both primary and upper primary schools and are instrumental in complementing formal teaching as teachers tackle teacher shortages.
The Significance of Para‐Teachers
Bridging Teacher Shortage: As the para‐teacher position continues to help to ensure continuity in classrooms and deal with greater student loads, especially after the mass dismissal of teachers in districts and provinces in 2023, the state is keen on engaging as many para‐teachers as possible. The Higher Secondary Board has identified plans to hire additional para teachers to help fill this void.
Supporting the Disadvantaged: The core roles have historically been remedial teaching, child tracking, and the ability to produce all relevant Teaching Learning Materials (TLM) to reinforce learning for first-time and disadvantaged students.
Recent Development and Government Focus
- Salary Versus Service: Para‐teachers are paid ₹9,794 (Primary) and ₹12,766 (Upper Primary) per month, with no routine increases in pay to date, until 2024. Out of frustration, para‐teachers staged a three‐day strike starting July 5, 2025 to demand an increase in their wages, as well as support for improved working conditions.
- Salary Increase:The Chief Minister's presentation of the 2025-26 budget for the state is expected to align a serious revision upward for para, nearly three times the current salary range and designation to the "Additional Assistant Teacher," which would have better job opportunities and a chance for regularization.
- Retirement Benefits: Starting April 2024, a one‐time terminal benefit for para‐teachers and other educational staff on contract basis was increased from ₹2-3 lakh to ₹5 lakh, upon retirement.
Para-Teacher Salary Structure – West Bengal
Current Salaries (as of mid-2025)
- Primary Para-Teachers (Classes I–V): ₹10,000 per month
- Upper Primary Para-Teachers (Classes VI–VIII): ₹13,000 per month
These positions are contractual, focused on remedial teaching, student tracking, and developing learning resources for underserved learners. Para-teachers perform nearly all the functions of teaching and have had stagnant pay for years since last raised in 2017.
Proposed Salary Revision (In Active Consideration)
- Primary Para - Teachers: Proposed increase to up to ₹35,000/month
- Upper Primary Para - Teachers: Proposed increase up to ₹40,000/month.
This increase would approximately triple their salary and align them with starting-level assistant teachers.
Proposal for Redesignation: “Additional Assistant Teacher”
The West Bengal government is considering re-branding the cadre from para-teachers to “Additional Assistant Teacher” to avoid legal restrictions (RTE norms) on hiring para-teachers. If approved, this change would allow for returning up to 26,000 displaced teachers and improve stability and status.
Other Proposed Improvements and Employment Changes
Alongside the pay and renaming proposal, the state is considering a range of improvements for para-teachers including:
- Child Care Leave (CCL): Up to 730 days please for female para-teachers
- Permanent service rules and a service book for professional continuity
- Membership in the School Staff Council
- Use as exam invigilator at secondary and higher secondary levels.
- Possibility of general and mutual transfers between districts.
Summary Table: Current V Proposed Pay Structure
This summary table compares the current pay structure with the proposed pay structure for a clear understanding of the difference.
Category | Current Salary | Proposed Salary | New Designation (if approved) |
Primary Para‑Teacher | ₹10,000/month | Up to ₹35,000/month | Additional Assistant Teacher |
Upper Primary Para‑Teacher | ₹13,000/month | Up to ₹40,000/month | Additional Assistant Teacher |
Context, Relevance & Impacts
- There are currently more than 44,000 para-teachers in West Bengal, which includes about - 20,000 Primary and 24,000 Upper Primary teachers
- The last significant increase in pay was in 2017, when the salary was revised upwards from ₹9,794 to ₹10,000 and ₹13,000 in 2024, without possibility to increase this beyond what the general budget Brg "could" announce Ara system offered.
- Planned protests and three-day strike in July, 2025 led to the government pushing ahead with this historic salary reform.
Duties and responsibilities of Para Teacher in West Bengal (2025)
In West Bengal, Para teachers have an important supportive role in Government established primary and upper primary schools, especially in rural and resource-poor areas. They are appointed under the educational initiatives like Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) and Samagra Shiksha. Their focus is to support regular teachers to provide inclusive and quality education to children.
Key Responsibilities of Para Teachers
1. Remedial Teaching of First-Generation Learners
- Provide focused support for slow learners, first-generation learners, students from SC/ST/OBC and minority communities.
- Assist in bridging the learning expectations in reading, writing, and elementary mathematics.
- Use activity-based learning with a focus on the individual learner.
2. Child Tracking and Child Progress Monitoring
- Maintain child-wise records of attendance, attendance, progression in learning, and developmental milestones..
- Communicate and report learning levels to Head Master and cluster resource coordinators.
- Assist with identifications of out-of-school children and report on their enrollment and retention.
3. Development of Teaching Learning Material (TLM)
- Create low-cost/no-cost educational material to minimize teaching boredom and to create entertaining/compelling lesson delivery.
- Integrate charts, flashcards, local examples, and visual materials to reinforce delivery in class.
- Support multigrade classrooms even though a teacher is responsible for multiple classes all at once.
Para Teacher Salary Structure Table (2025)
This table details the salary structure for para teachers in 2025, outlining the various pay scales and components.
Category | Existing Salary (₹/month) | Proposed Salary (₹/month) |
Primary Para Teacher | 10,000 | 35,000 (proposed) |
Upper Primary Para Teacher | 13,000 | 40,000 (proposed) |
Promotion, Job Security & Service Conditions of Para Teachers in West Bengal (2025)
Para teachers in West Bengal continue to be contractual employees hired under the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) scheme. Though they act as a building block at the grassroots of education engagement, their job promotion and employment security have been desperately limited for far too long and have consequently sought reform.
Employment & Service Conditions
Contractual Engagement:
- Para teachers are appointed on a yearly contract but need to have their contract renewed every year based on performance, school level needs, and attendance.
Up to 60 Years of Age:
- Para teachers can serve up to the age of 60, or until they finish the academic session where they reach seventy years of age.
Not Regularized (Yet):
- Para teachers are not regular government employees yet, even with protests and legal challenges to attempt to gain their regularization. There are recent plans in the proposed (2025 Budget) for the para teachers to have their position name changed from para teacher to "Additional Assistant Teacher" that hopefully will give them new found recognition, regularization pay scales, and benefits.
Service- Related Developments
This section highlights the service related developments , including proposed and in effect updates, related to the relevant context.
Service Aspect | Current Status / Proposal |
Annual Renewal | Based on performance and school requirements |
Service Book | Under proposal to be maintained for para teachers |
Child Care Leave (CCL) | Up to 730 days for female para teachers (proposed) |
Terminal Benefits | ₹5 lakh one-time post-retirement benefit (from 2024) |
School Staff Council Participation | Proposed inclusion in council meetings and decisions |
Exam Duties | Proposal to assign exam invigilation duties for board exams |
Transfer Facility | General/mutual transfer within districts (under discussion) |
Latest News & Updates on Policy- 2025
1. Impact of Court Judgment
- The Para teacher unions are citing a 2023 Supreme Court judgment on the regularization of contractual teachers in other states. As of this writing, the government of West Bengal has not announced any regularization to any employees.
2. Strikes & Protests
Para teachers initiated a three-day strike in July 2025 to advocate for the following demands:
- Increased salary (10,000/13,000 to 35,000/40,000)
- Regular service conditions
- New titled designation and pay parity with assistant teachers
- The protests garnered significant media attention and public support leading to new conversations within the state cabinet.
3. Government Response
Per WB Budget 2025-26 conversations,
- They are actively contemplating a 3x salary increase
- They are seriously considering renaming the title “Additional Assistant Teacher.”
- The Education Department is reviewing the financial feasibility and policy framework to allow it to happen over time.
