REPRESENTATION SUBITTED TO UGC & VI PAY REVIEW COMMITTEE BY AIFUCTO

AIFUCTO would like to place 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. This is indeed a historical recommendation. 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. We record our sincere thanks to the entire PRC team and Prof.H.C.Narang, the Consultant for the excellent coverage of the issues and making many path-breaking recommendations which would have far reaching impact on the improvement of quality in higher education in India.
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 in universities and colleges 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 like to represent the following specific issues for the consideration of the UGC at its meeting on 7-10-2008, which is convened to discuss the PRC recommendations.
(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 are 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
We complement the PRC for recommending third promotion to the teachers. 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 ,and 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 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:
1. 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.
2. 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 CAS for senior scale and selection grade.
3. 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 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 Meherotra 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.
(4)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.
(5)Revised Pay Scales for Assistant Professor (Selection Grade)/Associate Professor (Reader)
Recommended pay scales for senior teachers are unsatisfactory and needs a re-look.
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 and 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 certain 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.
AIFUCTO would request the UGC to discuss the above representation at its meeting to be held on 7/8-10-2008 and to make suitable modifications in the Pay Review Committee Report before recommending it for implementation to the Central Government.
AIFIUCTO’s views on other recommendations in the report, including representations for further modification of the report, if any, will be submitted in due course.
Thomas Joseph Asok Barman
President General Secretary