India: nationwide campaign for pension reform yields major victory
In a significant breakthrough, public sector unions in India, including Education International’s affiliate, the All India Primary Teachers' Federation (AIPTF), have secured a major victory in their fight for guaranteed pensions.
This success follows a five-year campaign and the Bharat Yatra, a month-long protest march held in early 2024, which saw thousands of workers across various sectors—including railway, banking, postal, and education—unite in their demand for pension reform.
These collective efforts culminated in a landmark decision in August 2024, when Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi approved the Unified Pension Scheme (UPS), guaranteeing pensions for central government employees.
Education International has closely supported this struggle, with the Australian Education Union and Swedish Teachers' Union also contributing to the campaign efforts. “This success is a powerful reminder that when we organize, we achieve real change”, stated David Edwards, General Secretary of Education International. “The struggle for pensions is inseparable from the broader fight for public services and public workers' rights. Our Go Public! Fund Education campaign echoes this fight by urging governments worldwide to fully fund public education systems and invest in the teaching profession. Just as pensions are a critical part of workers’ dignity, ensuring that educators have the resources, support, and conditions they need throughout their careers, is essential to providing quality education for all.”
As a key member of the Joint Forum for Revival of Old Pension Scheme, AIPTF has played a pivotal role in advocating for the re-instatement of pension benefits, especially for teachers appointed after 2024. The UPS, set to be implemented from April 1, 2025, guarantees central government employees a pension equivalent to 50 percent of their average basic salary, provided they have completed at least 25 years of service. Proportional pensions are assured for employees with shorter service periods, and additional provisions include a guaranteed family pension and inflation-indexed benefits.
To know more on the Bharat Yatra campaign, go here.
