Ludhiana: Aided colleges’ teachers demand revised pay scales

Teachers claim that the present state government has failed to fulfil its promises and constant delay in the clearance of cases pending with the department has caused resentment among the teaching fraternity

Despite an official announcement by the department of higher education on September 29, 2022, teachers of the aided colleges in the state are still not given their salaries as per the University Grants Commission (UGC) 7th pay scale,which were to be awarded with effect from October 1, 2022.

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Teachers alleged that the fixations of the aided staff of many colleges, as per the new pay scale, has been delayed by months. The management is required to verify the teachers against aided posts and send those fixation cases to the directorate of public instruction (DPI) colleges (Punjab), post which the DPI approves the cases leading to fixation and then, the respective colleges send the claims and then the pay gets revised.

Varun Goel, executive member of the Central Committee of Punjab and Chandigarh College Teachers’ Union (PCCTU), said majority of the college managements have already sent the cases of the teachers to the office of DPI, where they lie pending. “No one knows the reason for the delay. If there are some objections then the department must mark them and send those cases back for reconsideration but no progress is being witnessed as of now. I even filed an RTI on January 5 seeking details of the cases sent by the colleges and the cleared ones out of these. After no response from the department, I filed it again on February 7. I even sent a representation to the DPI office later.”

Teachers claim that the present state government has failed to fulfil its promises and constant delay in the clearance of cases pending with the department has caused resentment among the teaching fraternity.

PU senator Jagwant Singh said the managing committees are sometimes not willing to bear the burden of additional financial liability and in few colleges, they have not been forwarding the cases for the same reason. “After March 2023, the government should have insisted on claims as per revised UGC pay scale,” he added.

PCCTU district president Chamkaur Singh said, “If an official statement came in the year 2022, then it should have been implemented the next year. The process at the departmental level is at snail’s pace.”

Director higher education Amrit Singh did not respond even after several attempts. However, sharing details, Ashwani Bhalla, deputy director, higher education, government of Punjab, said, “There are only two deputy controllers of finance and accounts (DCFA) and 4-5 cases are cleared on a daily basis. The process has not been halted and the remaining cases would get cleared soon.”