Almora. Guest teachers across all 11 development blocks of Almora district have launched an indefinite sit-in from today at the Block Education Officer (BEO) offices. The protest comes in response to the non-payment of honorarium for the months of January and June, which are officially designated as long-leave periods. The teachers allege that despite repeated requests, the department has failed to release their dues, causing widespread distress among them. The sit-in will continue overnight as well.
Harish Chauhan, District President of the Secondary Guest Teachers’ Association, Almora, said that guest teachers have been receiving their long-leave honorarium regularly for the past 10 years. Surprisingly, this year the honorarium for January and June has not been released, even though no official order restricting payment exists. He added that this situation becomes even more peculiar as Almora is the only district in the Kumaon division where honorarium payments have been withheld.
Chauhan revealed that the Chief Education Officer (CEO) Almora has issued clear instructions three times through letters numbered 2687-88 (21 July 2025), 4387-37 (18 September 2025), and 6080-83 (18 November 2025). Yet, all Block Education Officers are continuously ignoring these directives and are instead complicating the matter. According to Chauhan, the Director of Secondary Education, Mukul Kumar Sati, and Kumaon’s Secondary Director, Shiv Prasad Semwal, have also personally informed the BEOs over phone calls that if principals certify in writing that guest teachers conducted online teaching work, the honorarium must be released without delay.
He further stated that guest teachers are working on extremely low wages and many of them come from far-flung districts like Uttarkashi, Dehradun, and Haridwar, serving in remote and difficult schools. Guest teachers are entitled to 12 casual leaves annually, which include the sanctioned long-leave months of January and June. Despite this, withholding payment for these months appears to be a deliberate act.
Calling the situation a violation of the right to equality, Chauhan said that the same government order applies across the state, yet most districts have released honorarium while Almora alone has not. He warned that until the issue is resolved and payments are released, guest teachers will continue their indefinite protest under the leadership of their respective block presidents and executive committees at the BEO offices.
