PU rulebook dictates service rules of aided colleges’ teachers, says Chandigarh admn

Amid teaching and non-teaching staff’s protest for implementation of UGC regulations, Chandigarh admn says it cannot enhance teachers’ retirement age from 60 to 65 years unless the requisite amendments are made in Panjab University’s regulations Amid the relentless protest by teaching and non-teaching staff of aided colleges, the Chandigarh administration in its first-ever response to protesters’ demands has said that it cannot enhance the teachers’ retirement age from 60 to 65 years unless the requisite amendments are made in Panjab University’s (PU) rulebook

Amid teaching and non-teaching staff’s protest for implementation of UGC regulations, Chandigarh admn says it cannot enhance teachers’ retirement age from 60 to 65 years unless the requisite amendments are made in Panjab University’s regulations

The service conditions of the around 500 teachers at city’s seven privately managed, government-aided colleges are determined by the PU Calendar, as per which the retirement age is 60 years. (HT)

Amid the relentless protest by teaching and non-teaching staff of aided colleges, the Chandigarh administration in its first-ever response to protesters’ demands has said that it cannot enhance the teachers’ retirement age from 60 to 65 years unless the requisite amendments are made in Panjab University’s (PU) rulebook.

The service conditions of the around 500 teachers at city’s seven privately managed, government-aided colleges are determined by the PU Calendar, as per which the retirement age is 60 years.

In a clarification sent to the principals of aided colleges, UT education secretary Purva Garg wrote that the aided colleges in Chandigarh were managed and controlled by private managements and were merely getting grant-in-aid from the Chandigarh administration.

“These colleges are non-government colleges affiliated to Panjab University. As per the provisions stipulated under regulations of PU, the conditions of service and conduct of teachers and non-teaching staff in non-government colleges affiliated to PU are governed by the respective provisions of the said regulations of the university, whereas the notification, dated March 29, 2022, issued by the Union ministry of home affairs is applicable only to the employees of Chandigarh administration,” the administration maintained.

Hence, the Chandigarh administration cannot increase the age of superannuation from 60 to 65 years unless the requisite amendment is made by PU in its rules and regulations, it said.

Notably, PU, following its senate’s approval, has in the past already sent the proposal to raise the teachers’ retirement age to the central government, but the approval is awaited.

Teachers at private aided colleges to retire at 60: HC

In December 2022, the Punjab and Haryana high court had dismissed a plea from a Sector-26 aided college teacher, Gurmej Singh, observing that the University Grants Commission (UGC) order about retirement of college faculty at 65 years was not applicable to teachers working in private-aided colleges in the city.

The HC bench of justice Rajbir Sehrawat had further said the provisions relied upon by the petitioner related only to government colleges and technical universities under the administrative control of the Union territory of Chandigarh. It had nothing to do with private-aided institutions.

However, this single-judge bench order was later challenged and the matter is pending before the division bench.

The teacher had challenged the administration’s December 20 order which said that aided-college faculty will retire at the age fixed by Punjab government – 60 and not 65.

The petitioner had argued that on March 29, 2022, a notification by the Centre brought employees of Chandigarh under the service conditions of Centre and notification covered employees of technical universities, institutions governed by AICTE, higher educational university and institutions governed by UGC. By virtue of this notification, the retirement age of faculty governed by UGC rules had been increased from 60 to 65 years. Hence, aided-college faculty are also covered and should be allowed to continue to work till 65 years of age.

Aided college staff to protest

After a series of protests over the last few weeks, after an emergency meeting on Thursday, the Joint Action Committee (JAC) of aided colleges decided to march towards Panjab University on February 19 when the varsity senate is scheduled to meet.

The JAC representatives said their motive was to make senators aware of the issues and problems faced by them. “We highly condemn the delaying tactics of authorities, including, the letter issued by the Chandigarh administration that stated that the age of superannuation of teachers of privately managed, government-aided colleges is not decided by the education department,” the committee said in a statement.

Sumit Goklaney, president, DAV College Teachers Union, said staffers of aided colleges were facing many problems, including pending CAS promotions, implementation of revised pay scales for the non-teaching staff and allowances as per central pattern.