MOVEMENT RESOLUTION ADOPTED BY THE GENERAL COUNCIL OF
AIFUCTO AT ITS MEETING HELD AT BANGALORE ON 17-19, OCTOBER, 2008.
The GENERAL COUNCIL of AIFUCTO places on record its appreciation for the hard work put in by the PRC, especially by Chairman Prof.G.K. Chadda, for submitting its recommendations without further delay and for recommending uniform and simultaneous implementation of the entire pay package from 1.1.2006 and incorporating the provision for 100% central financial assistance for the first 5 years and 50% for the next five for the effective implementation of the scheme. AIFUCTO is also in general agreement with the efforts taken by the PRC to link the pay review with the requirement of promotion of the quality of education in universities and colleges, by attracting young men and women to the profession through a scheme of special incentives and retaining experienced teachers in the stream by advancing the age of superannuation and by providing new avenues for their career advancement. AIFUCTO also appreciates the concern of PRC for resolving the anomalies in the implementation of V Pay Review Report, which has been the cause of considerable heart burn among a large number of teachers with a long tenure of service.
At the same time, it is a matter of serious concern that the laudable objectives of the PRC have not been fully translated into a workable package, especially in regard to CAS in respect of teachers with long experience as also in respect of the pay scales of senior teachers vis-à-vis their counterparts in other professions. Moreover, the language of some of the crucial recommendations is so vague and general that it would be very difficult to get them implemented at the State level unless clear clarifications are incorporated into the text of the recommendations at the initial stage itself.
Considering the above, AIFUCTO would represent the following specific issues for urgent the consideration and favourable response of the UGC and MHRD .
(1)CAS to Senior Professor in Universities.
The recommendation in 5.9.2. notes that Professors who have completed 10 years of service may be promoted to the post of senior professors. Such teachers are very senior in the university system, but the mechanism noted in the recommendations is not doing justice to their positions. A more honorable criteria and a higher grade pay should be recommended by UGC.
(2)CAS to Senior Associate Professor
The long pending demand of AIFUCTO for third promotion to all teachers needs no further justification other than that such promotion is available to all classes of central government employees , which is fully reflected in the 6th CPC recommendations , which has already been implemented. While the PRC has applied the logic and scheme of CPC recommendations in almost all other cases, its failure to apply the same standards in respect of CAS for college and university teachers is incomprehensible. The recommendations in 5.9.1., 5.9.8., and 5.9. 10.1., of the PRC Report lay down such rigorous criteria for the selection process and eligibility criteria that most of the senior teachers will not be able to avail the benefit of third promotion, which is available to other sections of employees as a matter of routine. In the absence of a scheme ensuring third promotion to all incumbent teachers, the extension of the date of superannuation will only help to retain a large number of dissatisfied teachers in service which will defeat the very objective of the enhancement of the retirement age. Apart from the fact that the eligibility criterion laid down in 5.10.1. of the report is at variance with that laid down in 5.9.8, in some details, the conditions privilege research over teaching, which is contradictory to the general guidelines on CAS of the PRC in 5.9.5, which states as follows:
Since opportunities for research work in most colleges are practically non-existent and teachers have heavy class room work load , it is recommended that for college teachers , greater emphasis may be laid on actual class room teaching ,holding tutorials, conducting examinations and evaluating answer scripts and lesser emphasis on research work while considering them for promotion under CAS.
While not fully sharing PRC’s implied perception that research is per se superior to teaching and that contribution to teaching may be treated on a par with research in the absence of adequate opportunities for research , AIFUCTO would insist that PRC at least apply its own logic in the implementation of the scheme of CAS by treating teaching on par with research .
AIFUCTO’s position in respect of the CAS to Senior Associate Professor is as follows:
- All teachers who have completed 6 years of service in the selection grade as on 1-1-2006 should be placed in the post of Senior Associate Professor, as a matter of routine, without insisting on undergoing the formality of a selection process, as was done in the implementation of CAS during the last pay revision.
- The avenue for third promotion should be available to all teachers in service as on 1-1-2006, without insisting on their acquiring additional qualification of PHD, on the basis of criteria applicable to promotions under CAS for senior scale and selection grade.
- The scheme for promotion to the post of Senior Associate Professor should be implemented along the following lines in respect of all teachers appointed after 1-1-2006.Teaching, Research and Extension are three dimensions in higher education, which are treated on a par by Kothari Commission and UGC and contributions to teaching /extension should be given equal weightage as contributions to research while considering the eligibility conditions for promotion under CAS. Criteria in this respect should be evolved in such a way as would give the benefit of CAS to all teachers, with insistence only on minimum qualifications and attainments.
3) CAS from 1-1-96
AIFUCTO fully appreciates PRC’s commitment to the rectification of anomalies in the implementation of Vth Pay review Committee Report, especially that of the anomaly caused by the implementation of CAS from 27-7-1998 instead of 1-1-96, which is reflected in the following recommendation of the PRC in section 5.19 of the Report.
That all regularly appointed teachers in universities and colleges who were selected as per the University Grants Commission guidelines and were in service 0n 1-1-1996 should be given the benefits of pay scale and allowances as well as other benefits recommended by the last pay review committee w.e.f.1.1.1996
Though the objectives and intentions of the PRC are clear enough, the benefit intended by PRC would be pipe dream for teachers , unless it is clearly stated that CAS will be implemented from 1-1-1.996. It is requested that clause 5.19. be suitably modified accordingly.
The recommendation in chapter VI that teachers who were in the scale of Associate Professor/Assistant Professor (Selection grade) on 1.1.1996 and who completed five years between1.1.1996 and 27.7.1998 should be placed at Rs 14940/- basic would take away existing benefits rather than confer new benefits on teachers. As it is, all teachers who are on selection grade as on 1-1-96 get the benefit of placement at Rs. 14940/- irrespective of whether they complete five years on 27-7-98 in the selection grade. Extension of the same benefit to teachers who are placed in the selection grade as on 27-7-98, which is a laudable objective, would require the modification of the recommendation by clearly stating that those who are placed in the selection grade as on 27-7-98 will be eligible for the benefit of placement under 14940/- as and when they complete 5 years in the selection grade. Suitable modifications may be made in Chapter VI accordingly.
4) CAS for College Librarians and DPEs
The AIFUCTO has been demanding for a long time the complete parity of librarians and DPEs with teachers. But this has not been done by the PRC.
The age of retirement is not at par with the teachers which is 65 years. We want this age of retirement should be recommended by the UGC.
The issue of CAS of college librarians and DPEs has not been resolved. The matter should be taken up and settled immediately. There are existing guidelines adopted by UGC and the Merhotra Committee. AIFUCTO will provide all assistance to resolve the issue. The professor post for these cadres for both PG and UG colleges are to be recommended.
(5)Revised Pay Scales for Assistant Professor (Selection Grade)/Associate Professor (Reader)
It may be noted that the existing pay scale, Rs. 12000 -420 – 18300, was given after merging the scales S-23, S-24 and S-25, i.e. Rs. 12000 -375 – 18000, Rs. 14300 -400 – 18300, and Rs. 15100 -400 – 18300. While S-23 has been kept in PB-3, the others, S-24 and S-25, have been included under PB-4 by the CPC. The principle of parity with CPC ,which has been followed PRC in most cases ,has been ignored in recommending PB-3 scale of Rs. 15600 - 39100 + GP Rs. 8000 for Assistant Professor/Associate Professor .In view of the above , the existing scale for Assistant Professor (selection Grade)/Associate Professor(Reader) should be appropriately raised to its equivalents in PB-4 .
(6)Professorship in colleges
Professorship should be instituted for both PG and UG courses, applying the same criterion of scholarship, irrespective of the level at which one is teaching. This would facilitate the mobility of teachers across universities and colleges as envisaged in the PRC Report.
(7) Retired teachers case
AIFUCTO would request that financial assistance be given to the states for granting higher pension and other financial benefits to the retired teachers. The case of retired teachers was presented before the PRC but it is unfortunate that there is no recommendation to this effect..
(8) UGC should take up with MHRD the recommendation by PRC for the continuance of the Triple Benefits Scheme for pensioners (GPF, Gratuity and Pension) also for those appointed after 1-1-2004 .
(9)New UGC Scales should be extended to those regular teachers with /without NET/SLET in the State scale also.
(10) The PRC has not recommended any salary structure for Tutors/Demonstrators. The UGC should recommend appropriate scale for the Tutors and Demonstrators in pay band 3.
(11) The UGC should also recommend a suitable scale for the Part-time teachers.
(12)Librarians and Directors of Physical Education should be given the same designation and other benefits as are available to teachers.
(13)The benefit of 4% increment should be extended to all teachers, instead of limiting it to 25% as recommended by PRC, who acquire certain minimum benchmarks, as decided by UGC in consultation with teachers’ organizations. This is to ensure that there would be no unhealthy competition among academics, which could vitiate the academic atmosphere.
(14)The pay fixation for Direct Recruits as Readers and Professors should be made on the basis of the pay scales for such grades in the pre-revised scale.
(15)The recommendation regarding grant of two increments for CAS Readers given in Summing-up part should be included also under 5.2.7.
(16) Central assistance should be extended to the implementation of academic allowance, which will ensure the implementation of this positive recommendation by the States.
(17) The Package of PRC Proposals should be incorporated in the UGC Regulations.
AIFUCTO would appeal to the Central Government to take the State Governments into confidence and to implement the PRC Report with the above modifications, uniformly and simultaneously throughout the country w.e.f. 1.1.2006, without any further delay. AIFUCTO appeals to all State Governments to initiate consultations with State level affiliates of AIFUCTO for the speedy and comprehensive implementation of the PRC Report, anticipating Central approval of the Report with necessary modifications as demanded by AIFUCTO. All necessary assistance will be extended by AIFUCTO leadership in this regard to state level affiliates.
AIFUCTO would urge the Central and State Governments to immediately fill up all the existing vacancies in Universities and Colleges in accordance with the recommendations of the PRC, with a view to enhancing access to higher education to levels targetted in the XI Plan. The system of reservation be mandated in the appointments of all public funded institutions including aided colleges, with immediate effect.
The General Council of AIFUCTO authorizes the Secretariat to monitor, on a day-to-day basis, the progress in the implementation of the PRC Report and to take appropriate consultative steps for the smooth implementation of the PRC Report. The General Council also authorizes the AIFUCTO Secretariat to resort to appropriate agitational steps, including COUNTRY-WIDE INDEFINITE STRIKE, for the implementation of the PRC Report with necessary modifications, if and when there is a breakdown in the consultative process/slowdown in the implementation process.
The GENERAL COUNCIL notes with concern that teachers in self-financing institutions/courses may not be getting the new scales which will be available to their counterparts in public funded institutions/courses. AIFUCTO demands that UGC enact regulations extending the benefits to self-financing institutions/courses. The PRC has not made any recommendations in respect of, university and college level officers and employees, karamcharis, coaches, musicians, accompanying artists and other classes of academic staff and assistants on the ground that their cases have not been included in the terms of reference of the Committee. Similarly, the pay scales have not been made applicable to teachers in Engineering and Medical Colleges and Universities, as they do not come under the purview of PRC of the UGC. AIFUCTO would continue to take up the issue of the inclusion of all classes of officers, employees, academic staff and assistants in colleges and universities within the purview of the UGC Pay Review Committee as AIFUCTO is convinced that only an inclusive Pay Revision that includes every employee in the system of higher education would ensure comprehensive development of higher education. AIFUCTO would also appeal to the Central Government to implement pay scales comparable to UGC scales to the faculty in Engineering and Medical Colleges and Universities.
AIFUCTO demands that the Right to Education Bill is enacted in the present session of the Parliament.
The GENERAL COUNCIL also notes with concern the devastating floods that have caused damage to life and property on an unprecedented scale in Bihar. AIFUCTO appeals to its affiliates to contribute liberally to the Chief Minister’s flood relief fund. An important area of concern is the economic recession, which is looming large over the horizon of the country, in the wake of the global financial meltdown. The AIFUCTO will intensify its fight against the implementation of the policies of globalization, liberalization and privatization, which has, over the past two decades, imposed on the country an unsustainable model of development. AIFUCTO would further continue to fight against the attempt to surrender national sovereignty and independence to the forces of global capitalism and proponents of uni-polarism and would stand committed to multi-polarism and international cooperation. The AIFUCTO expresses its deep sense of anguish over the growing cult of violence and terrorism, abetted and assisted by fundamentalist forces, which threaten to tear the secular fabric of the nation to pieces. AIFUCTO would continue to hold awareness programmes against the culture of violence and to spread the message of peaceful coexistence in our multicultural society, which is the backbone of Indian secularism and democracy.
Asok Barman, Thomas Joseph
Gen.Secretary, AIFUCTO President, AIFUCTO |