Awaiting pay hike, Panjab University faculty pin hopes on central service rules’ notification

Waiting for revised pay scales since 2018, PU faculty are hoping that they will also be covered when the notification for adoption of central service rules in Chandigarh is issued

Waiting for revised pay scales as per the UGC Seventh Pay Commission since 2018, the teachers at Panjab University are hoping that they will also be covered when the notification for adoption of central service rules in Chandigarh is issued.

Funded by both central and Punjab governments, the university follows centrally-monitored UGC pay scales for its faculty. (HT File)

Funded by both central and Punjab governments, the university follows centrally-monitored UGC pay scales for its faculty.

Even though the varsity has adopted the recommendations of the UGC Seventh Pay Commission for revised pay scales, teachers’ wait for pay hike has continued since 2018 due to Punjab’s failure to implement them.

“If the central service rules are implemented in UT, PU authorities should also press for it. Since salaries for PU faculty are completely funded by UGC, there should be no hitch,” said Mritunjay Kumar, president of Panjab University Teachers’ Association (PUTA) .

In its statement on Tuesday, PUTA said, “We look forward to the notification....and hope that all educational institutions of Chandigarh, including Panjab University, are treated uniformally without any discrimination vis-a-vis government/private colleges and university teachers.”

Some faculty members, including senator Priyatosh Sharma, also held a meeting on Tuesday. Sharma said, “At the meeting, we decided to ensure that PU is not left behind when other educational institutes of the region are brought under central schemes, ranging from new pay scales to other service benefits.”

Two senators Rajat Sandhir and Jatinder Grover have even written to vice-chancellor Raj Kumar to intervene to fast-track the long-pending implementation of revised pay scales.