HC orders increase in superannuation age of teaching staff at Meerut’s agri university

The court directed the state government to get the statute of the university altered so as to provide increase in age of superannuation

PRAYAGRAJ The Allahabad high court has directed the state government to get the statute of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel University of Agriculture and Technology, Meerut altered so as to provide increase in age of superannuation of the members of teaching staff.

The court also directed the state government to complete the exercise within three months. (File Photo)

The court also directed the state government to complete the exercise within three months.

In the writ petition, Dr Devendra Narain Mishra, a professor at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel University of Agriculture and Technology, demanded increase in retirement age from 62 to 65 on several grounds.

Allowing the petition, Justice Siddharth directed that the petitioner will continue to work on his post till the appropriate decision is taken by the state government as per the direction of this court.

Earlier, in the counter-affidavit filed on behalf of the state government, it was stated that the petitioner has no right to get the age of superannuation enhanced from 62 years to 65 years. The orders issued by the government of Uttarakhand, which has been shown by the petitioner in the petition, are not applicable to Uttar Pradesh state.

According to the counsel for the petitioner Ajay Rajendra, as per the University Grants Commission (UGC) guidelines 2010, university teachers are entitled for increase in retirement age from 62 to 65. Hence, the state government should follow it in letter and spirit and it cannot adopt the policy of pick and choose.