Teachers up in arms against Punjab government

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, October 6

The Punjab Federation of University and College Teachers Organisations (PFUCTO) organised a protest rally on the Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) campus today against the decision of the state government to deviate from the UGC pay scales applicable uniformly throughout the country.

The protesters said Punjab, a leading state until now, was lagging behind in the implementation of pay scales.

Teachers from PAU, GADVASU, government and private colleges from Ludhiana, Moga and Doraha participated in the rally. The rally was addressed by executive members of PAUTA, GADVASUTA, and Kuldeep Batta, district president, PCCTU, representing government and private colleges and the PFUCTO leadership, including Dr HS Kingra, president, PFUCTO, and Dr KS Sangha, general secretary, PAUTA.

The speakers condemned vociferously the decision of the Punjab Government to delink scales of teachers. They said, “This move is a prelude to deviation the government is planning from the UGC regulation regarding pay scales, promotion policy and service conditions, which are otherwise mandated by the UGC to be accepted completely as a package.”

“This deviation will lead to financial loss and also affect the academic careers of teachers. University and college teachers will get lower pays than their counterparts in other state institutions across India. The inter- institutional mobility of teachers on deputation and career progression will be curtailed severely. High caliber teachers/academicians/academic administrators will not prefer to join any assignments in Punjab state,” they added.

Dr HS Kingra, president, PFUCTO, said, “The state government, which is already in financial stress, is likely to lose out on grants/funds tied to the acceptance of the UGC pay package in Toto, a precondition for release of financial help imposed by the GOI.”

“When the GOI, under the new NEP is talking about granting of autonomy to institutions with respect to curriculum, fee and pay structure for hiring/attracting illustrious faculty from international foras, this step of the state government is highly regressive, retrograde and demeaning to the faculty in universities and colleges,” he added.

The leadership has decided to further intensify the agitation by organising campus rallies and candle marches to houses of ministers in the each constituency of Punjab.

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