La Martiniere teachers oppose principal’s service extension

Teachers and non-teaching staff at La Martiniere College in Lucknow, India, have accused the incumbent principal of illegal tenure extension and not granting benefits of the seventh pay commission. Divisional commissioner Roshan Jaccob has also objected to the extension, stating that it is not within the service rules. The teachers have called on the Trustees to make a decision on the extension and appointment of a new principal. The principal has defended the extension and stated that the benefits of the seventh pay commission have now been granted.

Some teaching and non-teaching staffers of La Martiniere College on Sunday alleged the extension of the incumbent principal’s tenure till the end of the current academic session (March 31) was illegal and a clear violation of the service rules. They also accused the principal of not giving teachers the benefits of the seventh pay commission.

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Addressing the media at Press Club here, Amit Kumar Awasthi, the school’s Hindi teacher, showed a document in which divisional commissioner Roshan Jaccob, who is also a member of Local Committee of Governors, had also objected to the principal’s service extension.

Awasthi said the commissioner, in her objections to the draft minutes of a meeting of Local Committee of Governors of La Martiniere College, Lucknow held on December 9, noted that that the service extension to principals till the end of an academic session was not written in the service rules and, therefore, it was not within the sole mandate of the LCG to decide as was made out in the LCG minutes.

They said the commissioner in her objections said that principal’s letter of appointment referred to his superannuation at the age of 62, and the rule 29 of the service rules, which provides for the end of session benefit to staff, clearly excluded the principal.

Teachers opposing principal Carlyle McFarland’s extension, said there was no precedent of any other principal been given the benefit previously. As such, the LCG can, at best, recommend to the Trustees that the current incumbent’s tenure be extended till end of the academic session and it’s up to the Trustees as appointing authority to take a decision on the proposal and issue necessary orders.

They said that Jacob had pointed out that on the matter of selection of the new principal it was agreed in the meeting that the selection committee’s recommendations would be unanimously and promptly forwarded to the trustees. The minutes, however, referred to taking affidavit in prescribed format from the shortlisted candidates for verification of character and antecedents, which are then to be examined by the LCG.

Principal McFarland, in his defence, said, “This is an individual objection. The committee in its wisdom and, by majority, has approved the minutes, which are being acted upon.”

On the issue of not giving benefit of the 7th pay commission to other teachers, he said, “It is true that it has not been granted so far for various reasons which was explained to Staff from time to time. But now it has been granted from December 9. I’m in full support of this and have been working on this since 2017.

On the delay in the appointment of his successor, McFarland said an incumbent principal did not appoint his successor. This was done by the LCG, he added.