Calcutta, Sept. 8: The Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee government has decided to allow teachers of around 400 state-aided colleges to encash accumulated leave for 240 days at the time of their retirement.

Under the existing system, teachers can apply to the college governing body before retirement, requesting 90 days’ leave encashment.

The order to give them an additional five months’ salary came 10 days before elections to the West Bengal University and College Teachers Association (WBCUTA).

In an order dated August 30, a higher education department deputy secretary said the “governor is pleased to decide that the ceiling on accumulation of leave for teachers in government-aided colleges be fixed at 240 days and also introduce encashment of that period of leave…”.

At present, if the governing body refuses leave for 90 days before retirement saying the teacher is essential for the college, only then is the person entitled to encash the leave. “This is humiliating for a college teacher who is about to retire. That is why we decided to do away with the system,” said higher education minister Sudarshan Roychowdhury.

The decision, he added, will automatically entitle teachers to 240 days’ leave and the salary for the period. All teachers of government-aided colleges retiring on or after August 31 would benefit.

WBCUTA will go to polls tomorrow after two years. Over 1,350 teachers will vote in the poll for which Left-controlled Siksha Ganatantrikaran Sanstha and the Democratic Teachers for Autonomy and Academic Freedom have fielded 18 candidates each.

Of the 36 candidates in the fray, 24 will be elected to the executive committee through secret ballot. Of the two dozen, five would be later elected office-bearers — president, general secretary, two vice-presidents and treasurer — at the November 16-18 WBCUTA annual general meeting in Bankura town.

“We don’t have any objection to the decision, but its timing. It is bound to influence tomorrow’s voting,” said Tarun Naskar of the non-Left forum. The demand, he said, is long-standing. “Why did the Left Front take the decision on the eve of the polls?” he asked.

Commerce teacher of Uluberia college Srutinath Praharaj, a member of the pro-Left union, said: “Those crying foul now had backed us when we pleaded with the government to implement the policy. This is double-dealing.”