Tuesday, March 16, 2010

Discrepencies in the UGC regulation Sept 2009





Dear Sir,

I wrote a blog about the discrepancies in the revised UGC 6th pay commission scale a year back. I also forwarded the copy of my blog to UGC authorities and the AIFUCTO. Though the blog was viewed by many viewers but without comments, discouraging me to write further. Recently I was contacted by some viewers directly on my E- mail ID who told me that the UGC in its regulation Sept 2009 has incorporated the changes in one of the discrepancies pointed out by me that the pay of a college principal must be fixed not below the stage of Rs. 43000/-.

The other point I raised was about advance increments to those teachers who were placed in Selection grade lecturer/Reader in the pre-revised scheme of 1996 and have acquired PhD before Sept.2008. In the pre-revised scheme of 1996 there was a clear mention of the fact that a teacher holding PhD degree would be given two advance increments when he/she moved to selection grade lecturer/reader.

As the scheme of 1996 was implemented from 27th July 1998, all the persons fulfilling the necessary conditions of refresher/orientation and having a good performance appraisal report had been placed in the selection grade 12000-18300 w.e.f.27th Jul 1998 on completion of 9 years of service with PhD degree or 11 years of service without holding a PhD degree. Also the persons holding PhD degree and meeting other necessary requirements for the post of Reader had been promoted as Reader/college professor under career advancement scheme of 1996.

According to the new scheme of 2006 (UGC regulations Sept.2009) all such college teachers (incumbent selection grade lecturers/college professors) who have completed 3 years in the pre-revised scale 12000-18300 on 1.1.2006 would be placed in pay band 37400-67000 with an academic grade pay of 9000/- at the particular stage of pay as per fitment table of H.R.D's letter dated 4 June 2009. Now if a teacher who is in the Selection grade but could not be promoted as college professor due to not having PhD degree, acquires PhD on or after 1 September 2008, will be getting 3 non compounded advance increments in lieu of his PhD and will draw more pay than his seniors who acquired PhD before Sept. 2008 or entered the service with PhD degree. Though I am not opposed to grant 3 advance increments to those teachers who acquire PhD on or after Sept 2008, but am of the view that the teachers who are otherwise senior and holding PhD must also be given such a benefit that they won't draw less pay than the persons who were junior to them and had been drawing less pay in the pre-revised scale. Such provisions have always been there in the past fixation rules to step up the pay of a senior person drawing more pay to his junior in the pre-revised scale to the extent by which it falls short of that of his junior.


The discrepancy can well be understood by an example.


Suppose there are five teachers A, B, C, D and E. The date of regular appointment of A is 1st August 1985 and he holds PhD degree at the time of his initial recruitment. The date of regular appointment of B is 1st January 1986 and he acquired PhD during service prior to 27th July 1998.C is appointed on 1st January 1987 and acquired PhD on or after 27th July 1998 but before 1.1.2003. The D is appointed on 1st June 1987 and acquired PhD between 1.1.2006 and August 2008. The date of regular appointment of E is 1st July 1987 and acquired PhD on 1st Oct 2008. All the five teachers meet other necessary conditions for career advancement.

According to the pre revised scheme of 1996 all five teachers had been placed in selection grade lecturer on 27th July 1998 as the scheme was to be implemented from 27th Jul 1998. A, B and C had also been promoted as Reader/college professor w.e.f. 27th July 1998 fulfilling the condition of PhD and other necessary requirements for promotion to the post of Reader/ college professor.

According to UGC regulations Sept 2009 A, B, and C drawing pay 15780/- in the pre-revised scale12000-18300 would be fixed at 48690/- and D and E will be fixed at 47530/- in the pay band of 37400 -67000/-.The pay of teacher E will be increased with 3 non compounded advance increments w.e.f 1st Oct 2008 in lieu of acquiring his PhD degree. As a result the pay of A, B, C, D and E as on 1.10.2008 would be Rs.51656/-,Rs.51656/, Rs.51656/-, Rs.50425/-and Rs.54963/- respectively. Thus E will draw more pay than all the four persons senior to him w.e.f.1st October 2008. E will also be getting more pay every year because of the compounded increments and will be fixed at a higher stage than the persons senior to him in the next pay revision due from 1.1.2016. For the purpose of sample calculation the date of increment is taken as 1st January.


Is it a punishment for those who acquired PhD earlier?