FROM CHADHA TO MHRD THE SLIP BETWEEN THE CUP & THE LIP

The announcement made by Smt.D.Purandeswari, Minister of State in the Ministry of Human Resource Development in the Lok Sabha on the 16th of December, regarding Revision of Pay Scales of Teachers in Universities and Colleges, is a far cry from the recommendations of the UGC Pay Review Committee under the Chairmanship of Prof. G.K. Chadha. It is totally at variance with the resolution on the pay revision adopted by the National Executive Council of the All India Federation of University and College Teachers Organizations (AIFUCTO), which was submitted to the Chadha Committee on 15-4-2008. It has also failed to accommodate most of the post-Chadda charter of demands highlighted through the Movement Resolution adopted at the National Conference of AIFUCTO held at Bangalore from 17 to 19th October. In the result, the status and promotional prospects of teachers have been substantially downgraded and financial benefits considerably reduced vis-à-vis Chadda Committee recommendations. The prospects of uniform and simultaneous implementation of the package through out the country have suffered even more.

AIFUCTO had enunciated the following six principles for the formulation of the proposals for the VI UGC pay review of University and college teachers in its submission made to the Chadha Committee:

1) Parity of college and university teachers with at least Group A Officers
2) Incentive for contribution to teaching and extension on par with research
3) Resolving the anomalies in the V Pay revision
4) Implementation of new pay package w.e.f 1.1.2006
5) 100% Central assistance for the implementation of the revised pay package
6) Mandatory, uniform and simultaneous implementation of the new package

Though Chadha Committee had not fully accommodated the wishlist of AIFUCTO, it had made an honest attempt for substantial compliance with the demands raised by the apex organization of college and university teachers. AIFUCTO had taken note of the positive recommendations and complimented the Chadda Committee through the Movement Resolution adopted at its National Conference, which states as follows:

"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.Chadha, for submitting its recommendation on 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".

The recommendations on the higher grade pay for teachers vis-a-vis civil service officers and the special academic allowance had come in for applause from the academic fraternity. The recommendation for the creation of new posts of Senior Associate Professor, Senior Professor and Professor of Eminence had, besides accommodating to some extent the long-standing demand of AIFUCTO for third promotion, also provided new avenues of career advancement for talented and hardworking teachers. These recommendations would have helped improve the quality of instruction in universities and colleges, had they been implemented in toto.

However, AIFUCTO had also taken note of several lapses on the part of the Pay Review Committee, which lead to its framing a 17- point charter of demands, seeking modifications in the recommendations in such a way as would make the proposals more inclusive. Following were the demands:

1) Modification in the provision for CAS to Senior Professor.
2) Modification in the provision for CAS to Senior Associate Professor
3) Greater clarity in the recommendation for CAS from 1.1.1996
4) Parity for librarians and DPEs with teachers
5) Inclusion of Associate Professor in Pay Band Four
6) Introduction of Professorship in undergraduate colleges
7) Central assistance to the States in respect of retired teachers
8) Continuance of GPF, Gratuity and Pension for all teachers
9) U G C Scales for all regular teachers with/without NET/SLET
10) Appropriate scales for Tutors/Demonstrators
11) Suitable scale for Part-time teachers
12) Re-designation of librarians and DPEs as teachers
13) The benefit of 4% increment to all teachers
14) Clarity on increment to CAS Readers
15) Pay fixation on the basis of pre-revised scales to Direct Recruits
16) Central assistance for academic allowance
17) Incorporation of PRC proposals in UGC regulations
The MHRD package has only taken into account three of AIFUCTO's seventeen demands by inclusion of Associate Professor in Pay Band Four, by relaxing minimum qualification for moving to Associate Professor and by the introduction of Professorship in undergraduate departments. The rest have simply been ignored. Even the minimal concessions have come at a heavy price. The three new designations proposed by PRC have been scrapped. The number of years required for promotion to Associate Professor (equivalent of Reader) have been increased from existing 9 with PhD, 10 with MPhil and 11 years without MPhil/ Phd to 12, 13 and 14 years respectively. CAS promotions have been reduced from existing two to one. While teachers could move from Lecturer to Senior Lecturer and Selection Grade Lecturer as a matter of routine in the Vth UGC package, hurdles have now been put in the form of a rigorous selection process to move from Assistant Professor to Associate Professor. The details of the selection process are yet to be spelt out. But it is almost certain that the process would, in actual practice, involve conformity and obedience to the powers that be, compromising academic autonomy and dignity of the professorate. It is strange that even a Selection Grade Lecturer/Reader will now have to go through the selection process to move to the post of Associate Professor. As a matter of fact, the Associate Professor in the new scale is only the equivalent of the Selection Grade Lecturer/Reader in the old scale. In essence, a Selection Grade Lecturer/Reader would stagnate at the second stage in the ladder of promotion even when he /she is "promoted" to the post of Associate Professor. The only difference would be the grandiose designation he/she acquires in the process. The credibility gap in the claim that this is an achievement of sorts is of Himalayan proportions.

The downgrading of the professorate, which has been effected by MHRD, does not end here; it only begins with it. The higher grade pay recommended by Chadda Committee to the posts of Assistant Professor and Professor have been pruned. The apparent increase in the grade pay of the Associate Professor comes at the cost of the new post of Senior Associate Professor. The advance increments for in-service MPhil have been reduced from two to one. The increment proposed for NET has been abolished. Whether the academic allowance recommended would be sanctioned is yet to be seen.

The irony of the concluding words of the Minister's statement in the Lok Sabha on the revised scales would not be lost on the teachers. She said: "Sir, we have begun a process of restoring the dignity and pride in being associated with the teaching profession. This decision to improve pay and other emoluments and to provide more attractive service conditions to the teachers is only one of the several steps required to attain the broader objective of improving the quality of higher education. This august House would, I hope, agree that this is a significant step towards that goal". Empty rhetoric, despite the decision to cut down the Central assistance to the States to 80% and to limit it to 4 years and three months against 100% for the first five years and 50% for the next five years recommended by Chadha Committee; despite dilution in the Chadha Committee recommendation for the implementation of the scales from 1-1-2006; despite the dilution in the principle of uniform and simultaneous implementation throughout the country by permitting flexibility in the date of implementation of the scales from State to State. Inclusive words do not bring in inclusion. Only inclusive actions do. It is not enough to announce a package for the entire nation. It is also necessary to take the responsibility for financing it, more so in respect of higher education , as the responsibility for maintenance of standards in higher education rests with the University Grants Commission(UGC) , which is a Central agency. The rhetoric of the "need to strengthen the quality of higher education in the country" will not cover up the divisive character of the MHRD package, which is a reflection of the indifference of the Central Government to the project of quality education for all.

What is to be done now? The National Executive Council (NEC) of AIFUTO is meeting at Gandhi Peace Foundation, New Delhi on the 4th of January to discuss the agenda for future action. The attempt will be to create a broad platform for a national struggle in which all teachers could join, irrespective of their organizational affiliations. AIFUCTO realizes that the issues at stake are larger than that of pay scales and promotions of teachers. The linkages between the project of inclusive and qualitative higher education and inclusive national development need to be recognized. The struggle for inclusive development has to be fought on an inclusive platform. The symbolism of the place and the time of AIFUCTO's meeting should not be missed. The NEC meets at Gandhi Peace Foundation. Gandhi's struggle was long and arduous. But it brought to us freedom with dignity. Teachers shall have to struggle hard and struggle for long, with dignity and determination, to wrest their rights. The time is most propitious to begin that long march to victory. The General Elections are due in May. The time to go to the streets to place our grievances and our demands before the people is here and now. Teachers have the right and the duty to approach the people. The fight for the rights and the dignity of the teacher is not merely a fight for higher emoluments for five lakh Assistant Professors, Associate Professors and Professors; it is a fight for the millions of our countrymen as the future of the nation, as famously stated by Kothari, is shaped in the classrooms..

Source : Thomas Joseph, President, AIFUCTO

JAC rejects Manipur govt stand on Pay Commission

The Joint Administrative Council (JAC) of the All Manipur Trade Unions Council (AMTUC) and All Manipur Government Employees Organisation (AMGEO) has in a press release said that the statement of the state chief minister saying that the government did not have enough finances to implement the 6th Pay Commission norms is far from the truth.

Quoting a report of the ministry of finance, government of India, the release said that Rs. 2,232.65 crores have been sanctioned for the period of April 2008 till December 3, 2008. 

It also questioned the contradicting statements of the chief minister over the exact amount of finances required for implementing the 6th Pay Commission norms and asked for a white paper stating that there are no funds available with the government.

Source : The Imphal Free Press

New Year bonanza for Haryana Govt employees

In a New Year bonanza to about 3.5 lakh state government employees, Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda today announced implementation of recommendations for higher pay, becoming the first state to put in effect the Sixth Pay Commission's proposals.

Hooda said the cabinet, which met here today under his chairmanship, approved the recommendations of the Pay Revision Commission constituted under the Chairmanship of the Chief Secretary to work out modalities for implementation of proposals of the sixth Pay Commission.

The pay revision would be made effective from 1st January, 2006.

The Chief Minister said that with the revision of the pay scales of the employees, net additional burden in the year 2008-09 and 2009-10 would be Rs. 6431.26 crore.

Addressing a press conference here after the cabinet meet, he said Haryana is the first state in the country to have implemented the recommendations of the 6th Pay Commission from January 1, 2006 and to pay arrear in cash to its employees.

He said the employees would be given revised pay from January, 2009, and 40 per cent of the arrears of pay would be paid in cash in the year 2008-09.

"The revision in allowances would be made effective prospectively, from January, 2009. The revision of pay scale and allowances had given substantial increase in salary to all categories of employees," he said.

Hooda said arrears of pay for 2006-2008 on account of pay revision would be about Rs. 3350 crore. Of this, about Rs. 2750 crore would be due to pay revision of group C and D employees. 





In addition, about Rs 850 crore would be required for payment of revised pensions for this period. In 2008-09, the additional burden for current revised pay, pension and allowances and for 40 per cent of arrears of pay and pension would be about Rs 1990 crore. In 2009-10, the burden for current revised pay, pension and allowances and for 60 per cent of arrears of pay and pension would be about Rs 4450 crore.

The Chief Minister said while the cabinet approved the specific recommendations of the Pay Revision Commission for revision of pay and allowances, the committee's general recommendations for various structural and administrative improvements would be subsequently examined for necessary action.

He said that on the pattern of the central government, a master list of pay bands and grade pays had been approved by the cabinet as replacement of existing pay scales. Now, the master list provided for a total of 5 pay bands and 32 grade pays.

Among the new pay scales which will be applicable now, the Haryana Civil Service (HCS) Executive Services pay scales have been revised from basic of 8000-13,500 (entry level scale) to 15,600-39,100 (also entry level).

The entry level scale of Deputy Superintendent of Haryana Police Services have been revised from 8,000-13,500 to 9,300-34,800.

Hooda said the cabinet felt that the central government's decision to discontinue further recruitment at class IV level and to absorb all existing class IV employees in class III level was not feasible in Haryana as the administrative structure in various departments functionally required class IV deployments.

Pensioners want all facilities of Senior Citizen at the age of sixty.

The All India Central Government Pensioners Association (AICGPA) will conduct a meet on December 29 and 30 here to address various issues related to pensioners. The Association will seek inclusion of all those above the age of 60 as senior citizens.
Mr. A. K. Palnitkar, president of Thane unit of the association today said the 61st annual meet of the pensioners will open with a Central Working Committee meet followed by an All India Conference. The association, with 72 branches across the country, has total 47,000 members. The meet would discuss the issue of disparity in pension, which was not solved by the Sixth Pay Commission. The other issues include an increase in pension from the age of 65, payment of pension in a single installment instead of the present two for those above 70 and the family of the deceased, immediate payment of medical allowance alongwith a hike from present Rs 100 to 500 and introduction of insurance based medical scheme.
Giving thrust on their demand of classifying all those above the age of 60 as senior citizens, Mr Palnitkar said as per government norms the Income Tax benefit will be given only after 65. However, the association demands it to be 60 years instead. 
"The Indian Railways considers people above 60 years of age as senior citizens. Other sectors provide the benefits only after 65 years. The association demands it to be 60," Mr Palnitkar said. 

Source : UNI

Bihar Govt ready for talks with staff on pay hike

With various trade unions threatening to proceed on indefinite strike in January to protest alleged anomalies in the implementation of 6th Central pay commission recommendations in Bihar, the state government on Saturday said it would hold talks with employees' representatives. 

"We will sort out the differences. The government is sensitive towards their genuine demands and we will not let our employees face financial losses," deputy CM and finance minister Sushil Kumar Modi told TOI. 

Modi said the state government has implemented the pay recommendations even before the salary committee has submitted its report. "In Jharkhand and West Bengal, the recommendations have not yet been implemented because the salary committees there have not submitted reports," Modi said, adding since the Bihar government implemented the recommendations in haste, it formed the salary committee to resolve all related issues. 

According to finance department sources, the government is even ready to accept the demand of employees to implement the benefits with effect from January 1, 2006 on the pattern of the implementation of fifth pay commission recommendations. "On that occasion, the employees were given notional benefits from January 1, 1996. But, the actual benefits were given from April 1, 1997. We are ready to follow the same pattern __ giving notional benefits from January 1, 2006, but actual benefits from April 1, 2007. This will ensure promotional benefits to employees," a senior state government functionary said. 

TU representatives are charging the state government with deviating from the previous agreement reached with the employees at the time of implementation of 5th Central pay commission recommendations and alleged the scales of several section of employees have been downgraded which would lead to a loss of Rs 600 to Rs 1,000 per month to each one of them. 

They said the salary committee will create disparities in payscales because the economic situation of the state has been put as a condition on the salary committee's agenda. The pay disparities will lead to frequent strikes. Incidentally, the state government employees have not gone on strike since 1997. 

The state employees also alleged the state government, which has given full benefits and hefty hikes to IAS and IPS officials, has curtailed many benefits of state government employees.

Source : Times of India.

Panel on pay anomalies submits report to J-K Govt.

A pay committee appointed by Jammu and Kashmir State Administrative Council (SAC) has submitted its report on sixth pay commission recommendations and removal of pay anomalies to Governor N N Vohra, senior officials said on Saturday.

"The pay committee submitted its report recommending measures for removal of pay anomalies for various sections of employees to the state government last evening," they said.

The report has generated a ray of hope among the government employees that they would get advantages of the sixth pay commission, the officials said.

The six-member committee headed by Financial Commissioner, Planning and Development Department S L Bhat, was appointed to work out the modalities for implementation of the pay commission for the state government employees, they said.

The report had suggested that after removing pay anomalies, the arrear would be paid to employees with effect from 2006 instead of 1996.

Besides, the committee had also suggested to remove pay anomalies in clerical cadre, enhancement of wages of the daily worker and enhancing retirement age from 58 to 60 years.

The officials said that the implementation of the pay commission recommendations may cost some additional burden on the state exchequer.

Source : The Hindu.

PM takes stock of security, Govt decision may be soon on Army Pay hike issue.

The three Armed Forces’ chiefs met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Friday afternoon to update him on the security situation and defence preparedness of the country. The meeting, which was scheduled earlier, comes after media reports from Pakistan that its troops have been alerted and some formations have been moved along the Indian border.

The hour-long meeting, attended by Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Sureesh Mehta, Chief of Army Staff General Deepak Kapoor and Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Fali Homi Major, is the latest in a series of conferences after the 26/11 attack to brief the political leadership on the prevailing security situation.

Sources said other than an update on the defence preparedness, the service chiefs also discussed critical pending defence procurements with the Prime Minister. This, sources said, was a follow-up of the meeting on December 20 when the service chiefs brought up the matter of equipment shortages with the PM.

The service chiefs also discussed the pay hike issue with the Prime Minister, days after the group of ministers instituted into the matter submitted its report to Singh. The PM is now set to take a decision on the matter on the basis of the GoM’s recommendations. At the meeting, PMO sources said, the three services chiefs also discussed the ``anomalies’’ in the Sixth Pay Commission report implemented by the government since September 1 this year and the recommendations of the ministerial committee headed by external affairs minister Pranab Mukherjee to address the four issues raised by them. 

Though the Mukherjee committee had given its report to the prime minister on the defence forces’ pay demands, the government is yet to announce its decision. 

Among the four issues raised by the armed forces were placing Lieutenant Colonels in Pay Band-4, parity in grade pay of officers from Captains to Brigadiers with their civilian counterparts, placing Lieutenant Generals in the Higher Administrative Grade Plus pay scales and restoring 70% pensionary weightage to the jawans.

Source : Indian Express and The Economic Times

Assam Govt employees pay hike to be delayed

The chairman of the Assam  Government Employees Pay Commission, Bhaskar Barua, today ruled out the possibility of finalising any revision of the pay structure of government employees and submitting the report before the parliamentary elections next year.
The five-member sixth pay panel was constituted in June this year and the time frame for submission of the pay revision report was fixed for June next year.

Barua, who is here to train senior officials and police officers on disaster management, has ruled out the submission of the pay commission’s final report by that deadline.

According to him, the commission has its hands full with over 300 memoranda submitted to it by different state government employees’ organisations demanding pay revision.

He said the teachers and the state employees had demanded parity in payscales with central government employees. The pay commission thus needs more time to scrutinise every aspect of the pay revision exercise, he added.

He said there was no alternative to extending the deadline for the submission of the report

6th Pay Commission's benefits for Bihar govt employees in new year

The Bihar government today{23rd Dec} decided to implement the Sixth Pay Commission recommendations for its employees as a new year gift.

Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi said here that a decision to this effect was taken at a meeting of state Cabinet this evening.

The employees will get the new pay scales from April 2007 on the basis of the Commission's recommendations, he said, adding the state Govt.would have to bear the expenditure of Rs 4,000 crore in this regard.

Mr Modi said the new pay scales would be given to the government employees from this month itself, while the arrears from April 2007 would be paid in three instalments during the next three months. The state exchequer would have to bear the burden of Rs 1500 crore for payment of arrears, he added.

Gujarat approves 6th Pay Commission recommendations for its staff

Gujarat government on Wednesday formally approved the recommendations of Sixth Pay Commission and announced that the state would implement the same from April 2009 with retrospective effect from January 2006, government sources said.
"The state Cabinet has accepted the recommendations and decided to extend the benefits of the Sixth Pay Commission to the State government employees," government Spokesperson Jaynarayan Vyas said in a press briefing.
He added that implementation of pay commission would mean revision in the pay structure of 4.5 lakh State government employees, which would cause financial burden of Rs 2,900 crore per annum on the state.
Moreover, the government would pay arrears from January 2006 to March 2009 in five yearly instalments, he added.
"The state would pay five instalments of 20 percent each in the five year lock in period directly in the provident fund (PF) account of the employees," Vyas said, adding that the employees would be able to withdraw that amount only after five year lock in period.
According to Minister of State for Finance Saurabh Patel, the state would have to pay Rs 6,883.87 crore in arreares in five years.
View the G.O. : ROP 2009

Source : ZEE News.

Armed forces pay hike : Ministerial Committee report likely to be announced next week.

 While rejecting uniform grade pay for military officers on par with their civilian counterparts, the government seems to have more or 

less agreed to the other three demands of armed forces over their new revised pay scales.  The "decision" of the three-member ministerial committee, headed by foreign minister Pranab Mukherjee, is to be officially announced in the next few days.  Sources, however, said there were indications the government had given the go-ahead to the elevation of Lt-Colonel rank officers to a higher pay scale; placement of a majority of Lt-Generals in the new "higher administrative grade-plus" with police DGPs; and restoration of the reduction in pension for jawans.  The government, however, has apparently rejected the fourth "core demand" of granting uniform grade pay to officers of armed forces on par with civilian officers, said sources.  As reported earlier by TOI, the armed forces blame "bureaucratic subversion" for introducing "far more serious anomalies" in their pay scales rather than resolving the ones present in the 6th Pay Commission report.  The armed forces, in fact, hold that their extant parity with their civilian and paramilitary counterparts had been "destroyed" by the new pay scales.  They were upset over the "extant parity" of Lt-Col rank officers being lowered by retaining them in Pay Band-3 (Rs 15,600-39,100), while raising similarly placed civilians and paramilitary officers to PB-4 (Rs 37,400-67,000). Source : Times of India.

UGC Pay : Notification likely in this week, Centre aborts elite faculty proposal.

The Centre has rejected a proposal to create an elite faculty post of professor of eminence in universities, mooted by a UGC panel as incentive to retain the country’s best teachers in Indian academics.

The government has also decided to snip the basic salary suggested by the UGC pay panel for vice-chancellors, under steps to balance promised salary hikes with “economic restraint”.

Officials termed the decisions a fallout of the economic crisis, coupled with the government’s greater focus on luring fresh talent into academics rather than pandering to the demands of senior faculty.

The Union cabinet last week approved the new pay regime, but details are being kept under wraps. Teachers’ unions that have been striking work against a delay in implementation of the panel’s recommendations called off their protests, but have urged the government to notify the new regime.

Sources said human resource development ministry officials met over the weekend to finalise details for an official notification of the new pay, expected to be published this week. Former Jawaharlal Nehru University vice-chancellor G.K. Chadha headed the UGC pay review panel.

In its recommendations, the panel suggested that the new post could be offered to the best 10 per cent of professors, based on their performance in class and in research. A university panel would have selected the elite faculty.

“The idea behind the post was to create a rung higher than that of professors for the best to aspire to. At present, professors stagnate and have no incentive to improve further,” a member of the Chadha panel said.

Unable to grow professionally, the best faculty often quit Indian academics in favour of either jobs in foreign universities or corporate jobs with better pay, the review committee member said.

The panel had recommended a basic monthly pay of Rs 80,000 to professors of eminence, more than twice the starting basic pay of Rs 37,400 at the professor grade it had proposed. The basic pay of professors can be raised up to Rs 67,000 a month, it said.

But the government rejected the proposal. “We already have schemes with similar aims to retain the best faculty. It is felt that a new post is unnecessary,” an official said.

The HRD ministry has a “faculty recharge scheme”. But the scheme is centrally controlled and, therefore, is limited in its scope and reach, the Chadha panel member said.

The review panel had suggested a Rs 80,000 basic pay for vice-chancellors but, at the insistence of the finance ministry, this has been reduced to Rs 75,000 a month. A special grant of Rs 5,000 will be provided to vice-chancellors in addition to the basic pay, sources said.

But the dearness allowance will be calculated only on the Rs 75,000 basic pay, effectively reducing the take-home salary.

Source : The Telegraph.

Secretariat typists in Orissa grouse against Pay Commission norms

The typists of the State Secretariat have expressed their dissatisfaction over their pay structure notified by the Sixth Pay Commission as per the recommendations of the Fitment Committee.  General secretary of the Orissa Secretariat Typists’ Association Siddhartha Kumar Panda has alleged that the anomaly in the pay-scale has not been rectified and comparatively lower scale has been awarded to them.  He said that like the pay-scale of the other employees having graduation as qualification, the pay-scale of the senior grade typists should have been placed in ‘Pay Band-2’.  The grade pay of superintendent level-I of the typist cadre has been equated with superintendent level-II. The association has requested Finance Minister Prafulla Chandra Ghadei to correct the anomaly.

Uttar Pradesh Pay Commitee (UPPC 2008) : BJP protest delay.

On the basis of the recommendations of the sixth pay commission, government of India, the Uttar Pradesh government has constituted a Pay Committe, called UP pay committee 2008.

The committee will be headed by retd IAS officer, SAT Rizwi. The other members of the UP pay committe 2008 will be Alok Ranjan, BN Dixit and Ajay Aggarwal. For more information on the pay committee,

You may visit the official website: www.uppc2008.up.nic.in

The BJP on Saturday accused Uttar Pradesh Government of delaying implementation of the Sixth Pay Commission recommendations on the pretext of forming a committee to study them.

Speaking to reporters here, BJP leader Hriday Narayan Dikshit said, “When Rajnath Singh was the chief minister of UP, he had implemented the pay panel recommendations without delay.”

“But, (chief minister) Mayawati is indulging in politics and trying to delay them on the pretext of forming a committee to study them.”

Punjab Teacher Association response on UGC Pay Hike

Professor Jaipal Singh, president, Punjab Government College Teachers Association (PGCTA) hailed the Central Government’s decision to implement UGC pay scales for university and college teachers.

He has appreciated the grant of Pay Band-4 to all associate professors, promotion of all assistant professors to associate professors without pre-condition of PhD, both in colleges and universities, and calculating the total service for promotion to the post of associate professors. He also appreciated the grant of five and three increments for PhD/M Phil degree holders and the grant of three and one increment for those pursuing these degrees during service. The creation of professors’ post in both under graduate and post graduate colleges is also a welcome step, he said.

However, he condemned the denial of such benefits to existing PhD/MPhil incumbents. Also, against the recommendation of Chadha Committee, to give 100 per cent grant to the states, for uniform implementation of this pay package, the Government has agreed to give only 80 per cent assistance for 4 years and 3 months, instead of 5 years.

He has also demanded that allowances such as transport allowance, academic allowance, children education allowance etc be notified and the states be asked to fill all vacant posts. Otherwise the part-timers kept on such posts be also given full pay and allowances.

He termed the decision as a mixed bag containing both positive and negative features. He, along with other office-bearers of PGCTA, Prof Kuldip Singh, Prof Harbans Singh, Prof Paramjit Kaur and Dr Rakesh Kumar urged the Punjab government to implement UGC pay scales as soon as the notification is received. The Punjab government has already discriminated against the university and college teachers by denying the 5 per cent interim relief, which is a part of pay revision.

Sixth Pay Commission: Ignored, Orissa police personnel cry foul

Even as government employees are euphoric over the Sixth Pay Commission, the personnel in uniform are crying foul.

The discontent among the ranks, over what they have termed a blatant disregard to their services, has assumed such proportions that havildars, constables and sepoys in the State police have announced not to accept their salaries till their legitimate benefits are accorded to them.

President of the Orissa Police/OSAP Havildar, Constables Sepoys Confederation Padmanav Behera on Thursday said more than 40,000 personnel in the ranks would prefer to forgo pay unless correctional measures are immediately initiated by the Government.

While constituting the Sixth Pay Commission, the Central Government had included a high official from the police as a member. As a result, the Commission had made special recommendations for central police and armed forces. Despite this, there was dissatisfaction among the Central forces prompting the Centre to go for a relook and announce improved packages, Behera said.

But here in Orissa, the Fitment Committee did not have any representative from the police. It also did not factor into the pay packages the proposals submitted by the association. So much so that the recommendations do not even mention the name of police.

Denouncing the step-motherly treatment, the association in a memorandum to the Chief Minister has called for formation of a Cabinet sub-committee or a high-power committee to examine the ground realities and fix appropriate pay packages and benefits to police personnel.

The resentment has also been reflected among the forest services with the Orissa Non-Gazetted Forest Service Association (ONGFSA) also threatening to take to agitation. In March this year, Naveen Patnaik had accepted their demands and declared Forest Rangers as Group B officers and equated deputy rangers, foresters and forest guards with sub-inspector of police, ASI and constables respectively.

But the Fitment Committee Report has exposed the ‘betrayal’ by fitting forest guards with the pay band of Group D employees of the Government, general secretary JB Patnaik alleged.

Now, University staff seek parity

Officers of over 30 Central and state university across India, including Delhi University, Jawaharlal Nehru University, Jamia Millia Islamia, staged a dharna at Jantar Mantar on Tuesday. The dharna was followed by a protest march to parliament, demanding parity in pay package with that of university teachers. 

Under the aegis of the All-India Federation of University Officers' Association (AIFUOA), the officers, including registrar, finance officer, controller of examinations, deputy registrar, assistant registrar, and research officer, among others, protested the non-inclusion of the non-teaching staff in the pay revision of the 6th Pay Commission. 

"UGC being a regulatory body to maintain academic quality in 1998 made regulations for service condition of teachers, registrar, librarians, director of physical education. In the present pay review report, they kept everyone, except the cadre of registrars, within the university system. Examinations are an integral part of the teaching and learning process. So how can UGC put registrars out of the university system?" said M A Sikandar, deputy registrar, DU. 

"Since 1984, this parity has been given to us and this is the first time we have not been included in this pay revision," said S K Mishra, president, JNU Officers Association. 

Giving a political twist to the agitation were six MPs who participated in the march. Brinda Karat, Basudev Acharya, Barun Mukherjee, Basudev Barman and Aziz Basha, Banshogopa Choudhury showed their solidarity at the march. 

Karat lashed out at the MHRD for its discriminating attitude towards the cadre of academic officers like registrar and controller of examination. She said: "These positions are an integral part of any university system not only in India, but across the globe. So any attempt to disturb the parity being enjoyed by these categories of academic officers would put the cause of higher education in jeopardy." 

Gujarat to implement 6th pay commission for its staff

The Gujarat government has decided to implement the 6th pay commission recommendations from April 2009, said sources in the government.

The decision was taken in a meeting on Tuesday held by a State-level committee headed by State Finance Minister Vajubhai Vala with the representatives of various employees union and federations.

"We have decided to extend the benefits of the pay commission to the employees from April 2009," said a minister when contacted.

However, the government sources say that the decision taken in the meeting will have to be approved by the State cabinet before its implementation.

"The finance minister has told us that the recommendations will be implemented with effect from April 2009," representatives of the union told PTI.

It may be noted that issue of pay commission recommendations regarding the pay package of state employees had become a bone of contention between the state government and employees.

On December 5, employees unions and federations had given a call of mass leave in which around eight lakh employees participated and remained absent from the offices.

Subsequently, the government started negotiating with the unions and federations to arrive at a suitable solution.

Besides that the parliamentary polls are round the corner and the State government had no option but to keep the employees in good humour otherwise they may play spoilsport in the polls, sources said.

Source : The Hindu.

UGC Pay Hike - Official Press Release.

Revision of Pay-Scales of Teacher under the Purview of the university Grants Commission

STATEMENT BY MOS (HRD) IN THE LOK SABHA

Following is the text of the statement made by Smt. D. Purandeswari, Minister of State in the Ministry of Human Resource Development, regarding Revision of Pay Scales of Teachers in Universities and Colleges, in Lok Sabha today : 

“Sir, this august House has expressed its concern, from time to time, for the need to strengthen the quality of higher education in the country. One of the critical factors affecting the quality of universities and institutions imparting higher education, is our inability to attract and retain young and talented persons to the teaching profession, leading over a period of time to shortage of teachers in central as well as state universities and other higher educational institutions. It is estimated that in Central Universities and constituent colleges thereof, approximately twenty-five percent of posts of teachers are lying vacant. Vacancies in teaching posts in State level institutions are known to be even higher. 

As a sequel to the 6th Central Pay Commission, the University Grants Commission (UGC) had constituted a Pay Review Committee under the Chairmanship of Prof. G.K.Chadha, Member, Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister on 6th September, 2007 for recommending, among other things, the ways and means of attracting and retaining talented persons in the teaching profession and furtherance of research in the University system. The Committee submitted its report to the University Grants Commission on 3rd October, 2008 and the UGC furnished its recommendations on 10th October, 2008. An Empowered Committee was constituted on 10th October, 2008 and based on its recommendations, the proposals formulated by the Ministry were considered by a Committee of Secretaries in its meeting held on 5th December, 2008. I am happy to inform the House that Ministry’s proposals have since been approved by the Cabinet on 15th December, 2008. I also take this opportunity to share the important features of the revised pay scales and service conditions for teachers in Universities and Colleges as approved by the Government: 

(i) There shall be only three designations in respect of teachers in universities and colleges, namely, Assistant Professors, Associate Professors and Professors. 

(ii) No one shall be eligible to be appointed, promoted or designated as Professor, unless he or she possesses a Ph.D. and satisfies other academic conditions, as laid down by the University Grants Commission (UGC). This shall, however, not affect those who are already designated as ‘Professor’. 

(iii) In place of “Grade Pay” as applicable to Central Government employees, the term “Academic Grade Pay” (AGP) shall be used for the teachers and equivalent positions. Different Grade Pays of Rs. 6000, Rs.7000, Rs. 8000, Rs.9000, Rs.10000 and Rs.12000 have been approved as AGP for teachers and equivalent positions. 

(iv) Higher Academic Grade Pay of Rs. 6000 has been recommended for all Assistant Professors at the entry level so as to make it more attractive compared to the entry level Grade Pay for the Civil Services and other professionals under the 6th Central Pay Commission. 

(v) Five non-compoundable advance increments shall be given (as against 4 at present) at entry as Assistant Professor for the degree of Ph.D. obtained in the relevant discipline and if the same is from a university complying with the process prescribed by the UGC in respect of enrolment, course-work and evaluation of the degree of Ph.D. At entry level, teachers possessing M.Phil or post graduate degrees such as M.Tech/LL.M etc., in the relevant professional courses as approved by the relevant statutory councils shall be given 2 non-compounded advance increments. Those who acquire these degrees in the relevant discipline while being in service shall be allowed three non-compounded advance increments for Ph.Ds and one increment for M.Phil or post graduate degree acquired in the relevant professional course such as M.Tech/ LL.M. etc. 

(vi) For the first time ever, posts of Professors shall be introduced in both under-graduate and post-graduate colleges. The number of posts of Professors in UG Colleges shall be 10 percent of the number of posts of Associate Professors. There shall be as many posts of Professors in PG Colleges as the number of Departments. 

(vii) 10% of the posts of Professors in universities shall be in higher Academic Grade Pay of Rs. 12000 with prescribed eligibility conditions. 

(viii) NET shall be compulsory for appointment at the entry level of Assistant Professor, subject to the exemptions to Ph.Ds in respect of those persons obtaining the award through a registration, course-work and evaluation process, as have been/ or may be laid down by the UGC through its regulations, and so adopted by the University. NET shall not be required for such Masters’ programmes for which NET is not available. 

(ix) Those who are presently working as Lecturer (Selection Grade) or Reader shall continue to be so designated till they are selected for the post of Associate Professor. 

(x) Parity between teachers and the Librarians/Directors of Physical Education shall be maintained, except for the age of superannuation, which for Librarians/Physical Education personnel shall continue to be 62 years. 

(xi) Though the posts of Registrars, Finance Officer, Controller of Examinations, Deputy Registrars and their equivalent posts were not within the purview of the Pay Review Committee of UGC, their pay scales have also been decided by the Cabinet. 

(xii) According to the past practice, financial assistance will be provided by the Central Government to the State Governments which may opt for these revised pay scales, to the extent of 80% of the additional expenditure involved in the implementation of the revision for the duration from 1.1.2006 to 31.3.2010, subject to the condition that the entire pay revision/ pay scales package scheme, together with all the conditions laid down in this regard by the UGC by way of Regulations, and other reform measures are implemented by the State Governments as a composite scheme. However, the State Governments shall be free to implement revised scales of pay from a date later than 1.1.2006 and also to prescribe higher scales of pay, depending on their local conditions. However, the Central Assistance shall be limited to the UGC scales of pay and only for the period ending on 31.3.2010. 

(xiii) While the revision of pay will take effect from 1.1.2006, the allowances (except DA) and advance increments etc. shall take effect from 1.9.2008. 

(xiv) All prescribed requirements of Selection other than those mentioned above shall continue to be applicable. 

Under the revised Scheme, Assistant Professors have been placed in the Pay Band of Rs. 15600-39100 entering at the AGP of Rs. 6000. A teacher with a Ph.D.degree can move from the post of Assistant Professor to Associate Professor after completion of 12 years of service as Assistant Professor, spending 4 years at the AGP of Rs. 6000, 5 years at the AGP of Rs. 7000 and 3 years at the AGP of Rs. 8000. Teachers with M.Phil and those with a post graduate degree in a professional course entering as Assistant Professors can become Associate Professor after 13 years of service. Those with neither Ph.D. nor M.Phil. etc. shall qualify to become Associate Professor after 14 years of service as Assistant Professor. 

The Associate Professors have been placed in the Pay Band of Rs. 37,400-67,000 with Grade Pay of Rs. 9,000. While, under the existing scheme, teachers without Ph.D. could rise up to the post of Lecturer (Selection Grade), they can now go up to the level of Associate Professor, based on the prescribed selection process. 

As against a period of 17 years for a teacher possessing Ph.D. at the entry level to be eligible to become Professor through selection, the present decision of the Government would enable them to be selected as Professor after 15 years. 

A teacher with 10 years as Professor would be eligible to be considered against 10 percent of the posts in the higher Academic Grade Pay of Rs. 12000. 

Sir, we have begun a process of restoring the dignity and pride in being associated with the teaching profession. This decision to improve pay and other emoluments and to provide more attractive service conditions to the teachers is only one of the several steps required to attain the broader objective of improving the quality of higher education. This august House would, I hope, agree that this is a significant step towards that goal. I place on record my gratitude for permitting me to make this statement amidst important business before the House.” 

source : PIB Press Release

Good News....Cabinet clears teachers’ pay hike.

The proposal for a 70 per cent salary hike for college educators has finally got the Cabinet go-ahead, said sources on Monday. The Cabinet clearance for the recommendations of the University Grants Commission’s (UGC) Pay Review Committee for teachers, led by Professor G K Chadha, will benefit more than five lakh teachers in over 400 universities and more than 6,000 colleges. Incidentally, the clearance came on a day when around 8,000 teachers in Delhi University started an indefinite strike to demand an increase in their pay scales.

In addition to a 70 per cent hike in pay, the UGC panel has recommended additional allowances and new positions to academics in the higher education sector. It has also suggested that the age of retirement be raised to 65 years, extendable up to 70 years. Other perks recommended by the UGC include monetary and non- monetary incentives to ensure teachers do not face stagnation and a ‘revolutionary recruitment policy’ to attract youngsters to teaching.

Women teachers also stand to benefit in a big way, with a recommendation to grant a special two-three year sabbatical to them over and above an extended maternity leave to help them rear their children.

The UGC committee also advocated the introduction of new positions, like senior associate professor, senior professor and professor of eminence.

According to the recommendations, at the entry level, a faculty member will join as an assistant professor, not as a lecturer as earlier. While a lecturer’s pay scale is currently between Rs 8,000 to Rs 13,500, it will now lie between Rs 15,600 to Rs 39,100 for assistant professors, assistant professors (senior scale) and assistant professors (senior grade). Similarly, the committee has recommended a new pay band of Rs 37,400 to Rs 67,000 for professors against the existing scale of Rs 16,400 to Rs 22,400. A vice-chancellor will get a fixed amount of Rs 80,000 per month against the present package of Rs 25,000.

At college level, a principal will be entitled for the package of a professor as against the current package of Rs 12,000 to Rs 22,400, he said.

Apart from the existing allowances, the committee has suggested the introduction of an academic allowance of Rs 1,500 per month, as well as allowances towards house rent, transport, special duty, travel and medical expenses. Teachers with good performance records can get an annual increment of up to four per cent.

 The panel has also recommended amendments to the teacher-assessment process. Not only is it suggested that students evaluate their teachers - besides self-assessment and institutional assessment - but that educators will also be judged on the number of research papers they publish.

The UGC panel report, even though it was submitted to the ministry in October this year, could not be taken to the Cabinet earlier because Assembly elections had been announced in five states just then — the model code of conduct having come into effect, the keenly awaited salary hike for teachers had to be put off for a while.

Some more news for Orissa Govt Employees

The number of payscales has been brought down from 28 to 5 band of scales. The payscales of administrative officials have been brought down to three bands from seven scales.  Sources maintained that the posts special secretary, additional secretary senior grade and additional secretary will be in the highest grade with starting scale of Rs 37,400 while their grade pay will differ. The highest grade pay in this band will be Rs 9,000.

The highest gross pay will be around Rs 53,000 per month while the lowest will be around Rs 15,000. The lowest pay band is reported to have been fixed at Rs 4,700.  The Dearness Allowance (DA) has been made zero in January, 2006. After that, there has been revision of DA five times, the latest in July, 2008. The DA, after the implementation of the fitment committee recommendations, will be 16 per cent.

The House Rent Allowance for employees posted in Bhubaneswar and Cuttack has been revised to 20 per cent while for rest of the State, it will be 10 per cent. Block grant for 1,694 high schools, 100 girls high schools and 860 upper primary schools have been increased from 40 to 60 per cent.  This will cost the exchequer Rs 68.68 cr per year. The proposal for third peon post in block grant high schools was accepted.

Other decisions included appointment of village level workers (VLWs) as panchayat executive officers for which the Orissa Gram Panchayat Act will be amended. Cadre rules of data entry operators was approved.

AIFUCTO is pressing hard to implement revised UGC scales soon

The General Secretary, AIFUCTO has been camping in New Delhi for the past few days and has been intensively pursuing issues relating to implementation of revised UGC scales. He has been expressing the deep concerns of lakhs of college and university teachers all across India who demand the early and just implementation of the revised pay scales. The Gen.Secy. has been repeatedly pressing with the UGC, MHRD officials and the political leadership that the legitimate aspirations of the teachers should be fully reflected in the orders. The AIFUCTO has been lobbying with the MPs belonging to different political parties and they have been of substantial help in putting across the genuine aspirations of the teachers. The AIFUCTO has been striving to see that the expected order renders full justice to the servicesz put in by the teachers. AIFUCTO leaders from Haryana, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh,UP have been taking turns in helping the Gen. Secy. in this phase of his work. The Secretariat members are closely monitoring the situation and a NEC meeting will be convened very soon.

An open letter to P.M.  has also been published byAIFCTO. The text of the letter is published below.

Dr. Manmohan Singhji Camp: New Delhi Hon’ble Prime Minister of India New Delhi
Hon'ble Pradhan Mantri Ji, Greetings from the AIFUCTO, the Federation of organizations of university and college teachers of India. The AIFUCTO has been steadfastly working, with a great degree of commitment to uphold and strengthen national integration, a pluralistic India and quality higher education. I am now forced to submit to you that lakhs of university and college teachers of India, who have been anxiously awaiting the implementation of Revised Pay Scales for them, are deeply perturbed over the inordinate delay in this regard. Hon'ble Sir, you are aware that every other section of the employees- including Central Government employees following VI Pay Commission Report. Hon'ble Judges and the staff of all levels of Judiciary, public sector employees and others have already been given revised scales of pay, whereas in the case of implementing the Chadha Committee Report there is long delay and dithering. You are further aware Sir, that the revision of scales for college and university teachers involves two stages of implementation, with states taking their own time to execute the Central Govt. Orders.
I write to convey that 5 lakh college and university teachers all across our country are anxiously expecting your kind personal intervention leading to a very expeditious decision resulting in a fair, uniform and mandatory implementation all over India. We remember your kind intervention during our last Dharna Program in New Delhi leading to the solution.
As General Secretary of AIFUCTO I submit our deep expectations.
Yours truly,
Asok Barman General Secretary-AIFUCTOE-

Orissa State cabinet nod for revised staff salary

With the assembly elections just few months away, the Naveen Patnaik government today decided to implement the revised pay scales for the government employees as per the recommendations of the sixth pay commission.

Orissa cabinet, chaired by the chief minister Naveen Patnaik, approved the recommendations of the Fitment Committee to implement the revised pay scales for the state government employees. The move will benefit about 3.57 lakh government employees, 30,479 employees of educational institutions receiving 100 percent grant in aid, employees engaged Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) and employees working as workcharges.

The new pay scale will be implemented from 1 January 2006 with retrospective effect with the cutoff date being 1 December 2008.These employees will be given current salary for 3 months (Dec-2007, Jan-2008 and Feb-2008) along with the 40 percent of the arrear for 35 months.

While the 40 percent arrear will be given in cash during the current fiscal, the remaining 60 percent may be given in the next fiscal, sources said. While the details will be announced in the State Assembly on Monday, sources said, the increase in the minimum pay band is between 30.39 percent and 36.35 percent. Similarly, in the higher pay band the increase is between 39.25 percent to 62.25 percent. The state government will have to foot a total annual bill of about Rs 6300 crore for meeting the obligations arising out of increased salary and pension. The salary component in the total burden is estimated to be Rs 4200 crore and the pension burden will be about Rs 2100 crore for a period starting from 1 December 2006 up to 1 December 2008. The additional annual burden on the state exchequer will be Rs 2100 crore per annum with the salary component being Rs 1400 crore and the pension burden being Rs 700 crore, sources added.

However, the revised pay scale will not be applicable to NMRs and DLRs who work on contractual basis and to the members of Orissa Electricity Regulatory Commission (OERC), statutory bodies, autonomous bodies, corporations, employees receiving UGC pay scale and aided educational institutions not getting full grant-in -aid. In a significant measure to please the government employees, the cabinet accepted the recommendation of the Fitment Committee for assured promotion. These promotions will happen in 15 years, 25 years and 30 years of service of a particular employee. Maximum 3 increments can be given to the employees. Similarly, house rent at the rate of 20 percent will be given to the employees working in Bhubaneswar and Cuttack, which have a population of above 5 lakhs. However, it will be 10 percent for the towns having population less than 5 lakhs.

source : Business Standard.

Uttar Pradesh Govt. Pay Commission Report

Some more links relating to Uttar Pardesh Pay Commission for employees of Local Authorities, Govt. sponsored schools etc.

http://uppc2008.up.nic.in/report2008/REPORT-2.pdf

http://uppc2008.up.nic.in/report2008/PART-1.pdf

http://uppc2008.up.nic.in/report2008/PART-2.pdf

The detailed report and pay scales of U.P. Govt may be viewed here. As the whole report is in Hindi, we could not provide any special feature right now.

http://uppc2008.up.nic.in/default.htm