Amit Kumar, a 35-year-old physical education teacher in Bihar, struggles to make ends meet despite holding a government job. Teaching at Babu Pur Middle School in Bhagalpur district during the day and working as a food delivery rider at night, Amit earns a modest monthly salary of Rs 8,000, insufficient to sustain his family.
Challenges Of Working Two Jobs
After his teaching duties, Amit spends his evenings from 5 PM to midnight delivering food for a private company. His story highlights the financial hardships faced by government employees with low salaries, forcing them to seek additional work.
Speaking about his circumstances, Amit shared with ANI, “After a long wait, I finally got a government job in 2022. My family was overjoyed. I had taken the exam in 2019, and the results came in February 2020. I scored 74 out of 100, and we were thrilled. My family thought our situation would improve. Earlier, I worked at a private school, but when COVID hit, I lost that job. After two and a half years, I got this government position, but the salary was fixed at just Rs 8,000, and I was labelled a part-time employee, meaning I wasn’t required to stay long hours at school. Initially, we worked full-time and encouraged students to participate in sports.”
He added, “The students showed interest and even won medals. But even after two and a half years, the government hasn’t increased our salary or conducted eligibility exams. Life has become difficult. Senior teachers here receive Rs 42,000 as salary, while we get only Rs 8,000.”
Amit’s challenges are compounded by delayed payments. Earlier this year, he went four months without receiving his salary, forcing him to borrow money. “After February, I didn’t receive my salary for four months. I had to borrow money from friends, and the debt kept piling up. On my wife’s suggestion, I searched online and found I could work as a food delivery rider. There was no time restriction, so I created an ID and started working. After school, from 5 PM to 1 AM, I deliver food.”
Impact On Personal Life
The financial strain has deeply impacted Amit’s personal life. “With Rs 8,000 as my salary, I can’t even think about expanding my family. I wonder how I can provide for the next generation when I’m struggling to feed myself. I got married two and a half years ago when I got the job. I’m the eldest son and need to stay at home to care for my elderly mother, which is why I am compelled to take up this additional work,” he explained.
Despite his tireless efforts, Amit continues to hope for better opportunities and a salary increase to improve his family’s circumstances.
