E-Paper
PU teachers dejected by Punjab budget’s silence on UGC pay scales
The long wait of teachers in universities and colleges for the revised UGC pay scales continues, as no such announcement was made on Monday when Punjab government presented its annual budget
The long wait of teachers in universities and colleges for the revised University Grants Commission (UGC) pay scales as per the 7th pay commission continues, as no such announcement was made on Monday when the Punjab government presented its annual budget.
Teachers were expecting the budgetary provision for the implementation of the revised UGC pay scales as Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann on Saturday had stated that the UGC pay scales will be implemented at the earliest. But the budget presented by the government only brought disappointment to them. The government has, however, allocated ₹200 crore for Punjabi University, Patiala, to tide over the ongoing financial crisis.
This comes at a time when there are growing calls for making Panjab University (PU) a central university. The PU teachers have also been pressing to implement the central service rules.
PUTA calls it surprising
President of the Panjab University Teachers Association (PUTA), Mritunjay Kumar, said, “Since the CM himself had made the announcement in the assembly, it is surprising that the same does not figure in the budget presented by the government. Only the government can explain the reason behind this, but we are still waiting for the notification.”
While PU has already adopted the recommendations of the UGC 7th Pay Commission for revised pay scales, teachers’ wait for a pay hike has continued since 2018 due to Punjab’s failure to implement them.
PFUCTO expresses disappointment
The Punjab Federation of University and College Teachers Organisations (PFUCTO) also expressed disappointment as the budget failed to follow up on the matter as announced by the CM. Jagwant Singh, general secretary, PFUCTO, said teachers of all universities and colleges of Punjab, Chandigarh and Himachal Pradesh were relieved and they felt grateful to the CM for his much-awaited announcement on the early implementation of the UGC pay scales in higher education institutions in Punjab in reply to the governor’s address in the state assembly on June 25. “But just two days later, we are disappointed and confused because the budget papers presented on Monday in the state assembly made no mention of or provision for the implementation of the UGC pay scales,” he said.
The PFUCTO represents teachers of GNDU, Amritsar; PU, Chandigarh; PAU and GADVASU, Ludhiana; Punjabi University, Patiala; and government and non-government colleges of Punjab and Chandigarh.
Chandigarh Youth Cong flays AAP govt
Chandigarh Youth Congress (CYC) president Manoj Lubana on Monday targeted Punjab chief minister (CM) Bhagwant Mann over not making any special provision in its annual budget for Panjab University (PU).
While presenting its annual budget, the Punjab government on Monday allocated ₹200 crore to Punjabi University, Patiala, but the government did not make any allocation for the PU.
Lubana in a tweet said that he appreciated the step taken by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) to grant ₹200 to Punjabi University, Patiala. “But my concern is what about Panjab University, Chandigarh. This shows how dedicatedly Bhagwant Mann is working to give away Panjab University in the hands of the Centre,” he stated in a tweet.
As PU teachers are yet to get the benefit of revised UGC pay scales, there are growing calls to make PU a central university. The HC has also asked the Central government to consider the conversion of PU into a central university.
