Aided colleges' panel rejects govt orders

Amritsar, December 24

A meeting of the Joint Action Committee (JAC), comprising representatives of the Non-Government Aided Colleges’ Management Federation (NGACMF), Principals Association and Punjab Chandigarh Colleges Teachers Union was held at DAV College, Jalandhar, under the chairmanship of Rajinder Mohan Singh Chhina, president of the federation.

The JAC after discussion, outrightly rejected the speaking orders, dated 6-12-2022, issued by Principal Secretary, Higher Education, Government of Punjab. The JAC alleged that the orders were being implemented in the state in a highly biased manner as it excluded private universities in order to protect their commercial interests.

The JAC also expressed concerns over a proposed change in the service condition of the teachers and principals of aided colleges. The committee recommended that no change would be tolerated in retirement age of the teachers, when the UGC recommends the retirement age to be 65 years.

The issue of dilution of the grant-in-aid scheme was also taken up and the JAC demanded the original scheme be restored in all sanctioned posts including 1,925 posts where the grants of has been reduced unlawfully to the 75 per cent.

The members stressed that if the issues were not resolved, the JAC would be constrained to launch an agitation to get justice.