Teachers to hold black day on August 22

NEW DELHI:Agitated over the possible move of cutting down the Centre’s assistance to states for implementing the Seventh UGC Pay Revision, the All India Federation of University and College Teachers’ Organisations (AIFUCTO) has decided to observe a black day on August 22 and given a call to university and college teachers across the country for courting arrest in Delhi on Teachers’ Day.

Ananya Panda

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, August 20

Agitated over the possible move of cutting down the Centre’s assistance to states for implementing the Seventh UGC Pay Revision, the All India Federation of University and College Teachers’ Organisations (AIFUCTO) has decided to observe a black day on August 22 and given a call to university and college teachers across the country for courting arrest in Delhi on Teachers’ Day.

Having sought Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s intervention, the AIFUCTO has urged the Central government to not let the “stalemate” between the Union Human Resource and Development (HRD) Ministry and the Finance Ministry affect the rightful pay of college and university teachers who are still to get the benefits of the seventh pay panel.

The FEDCUTA (Federation of Central University Teachers’ Association) and AIFRUCTO (All India federation of Retired Teachers) are understood to have extended support to the cause.

After the five-member UGC Pay Revision Committee, headed by Prof V S Chouhan, submitted its recommendations, including a 20 per cent pay hike among other things, to the MHRD in February this year, the Central Cabinet is still to take a call.

Apparently, what has taken the government this long is the tussle between the MHRD and the Finance Ministry with the latter “ready to offer only 50 per cent financial support to the states for three years for implementing the recommendations of the pay panel report.

Traditionally, when it comes to state-run varsities, the Centre shares the financial burden with state governments in the ratio of 80 per cent and 20 per cent for 5 years—something that is going to change as per AIFUCTO general secretary Prof. Arun Kumar.

“We have come to know that the Centre is going to reduce the funding to states for the pay hike. This despite knowing that many states due to their economic constraints were unable to implement the earlier UGC pay revision in totality even in the matching grant of 80 per cent for a period of five years. It is unfortunate that even after so many months, the Central government is sitting on the issue,” said Prof. Arun Kumar.

AIFUCTO president Prof. Kesab Bhattacharya said if the impasse is not resolved soon, eight lakh university and college teachers will be compelled to go for a countrywide indefinite strike.