Karnataka : New Year bonanza for college lecturers

As a new year gift to over 11,300 lecturers and professors of first-grade colleges in the state, the government on Thursday implemented the revised pay scale for them as per the University Grants Commission (UGC) recommendations.With this, the salaries of lecturers and professors working in government first grade colleges, aided first grade colleges and constituent colleges of universities will see a substantial hike.As per the revised scale, the starting salary of a lecturer will be Rs 31,300 per month and that of a professor will be Rs 63,500, including all perks.Not just that, they will also get differential pay for 51 months as arrears as the revised pay scale will come into force with retrospective effect from January 1, 2006.However, the revised pay scale for the part-time lecturers whose services were regularised through special guidelines by the government will be applicable from the date on which they had acquired eligibility to be lecturer as per UGC guidelines.The burden on the state exchequer due to the implementation of the pay scale is estimated to be around Rs 200 crore. The Centre will bear 80 per cent of the expenses due to payment of the arrears and the hiked component of the salary till the end of this financial year.Announcing this at a press conference on Thursday, Higher Education Minister Aravind Limbavali called upon the teaching community to perform to their best abilities as the government had given everything they (lecturers) wanted. “My only plea to the teaching community is to perform their duties effectively,” he said.To a question, he replied that the government would release arrears as soon as the Centre released 50 per cent of its share towards the arrears. He added that all arrears would be paid in cash.Meanwhile, the government has increased the retirement age of the teaching staff in universities from 60 to 62 years, with effect from September 25, 2009.Though it has shown magnanimity in revising salaries, the government has put some riders too for the selection of teaching staff in first grade colleges.From July 7, 2009, MPhil degree will not be considered as a criterion for recruitment of lecturers. The lecturers appointed before this date will be promoted as professors only after they complete PhD, he said.The government has also changed the nomenclature of the teaching staff of colleges. As per the new nomenclature, the lecturers will now be called assistant professors.
With the revised pay scale, an associate professor in Bangalore will get a total pay of Rs31,300 each month, while a professor will take home Rs63,500. The house rent and city compensation allowances are also increased to make it on par with the UGC scale. The college teachers are also eligible for pension, leave travel concession and medical allowance like any other government employee, Limbavali said.
An order is also issued to increase the age limit for retirement from 60 to 62 years applicable to the university teaching staff with effect from September 25, 2009. The Higher Education Department has classified the teaching staff into three new categories: Assistant Professor, Associate Professor and Professor.

Source : Express Buzz and Deccan Herald.