Package of university teachers likely to be hiked

[hari]

University teachers can hope for a better emolument package after a UGC-appointed Pay Revision committee finishes chalking out proposals to resolve their grievances and check attrition.

The committee, headed by Prof G K Chadha, has already consulted teachers and staff of about 400 universities in the country and is now studying their views.

"Teaching is a noble profession. We are analysing feedback received from teachers and their organisations in this regard. What I can tell at this time is that we could propose certain measures to ensure that their problems are sorted out and more people take an interest in joining the profession," Chadha said.

The UGC had set up the Chadha committee earlier this year and the panel completed its visit to universities last month.

"We will take a minimum of another three months to compile and study the data. Then the report would be submitted," he said.

Various teachers' bodies have been critical of the Chadha committee for "delaying" its report submission on pay revision. They have raised objections to the "poor package" they are getting and cited this as a reason for the "high attrition" rate in the sector.

Students are "developing cold feet before joining the sector owing to the poor package," they had alleged.

"There are only six people on this committee. It is obvious that we will take time to complete our study. But our recommendations will be helpful to the teaching fraternity," Chadha said.

The issue of pay revision also figured at a recent conference of state education ministers here when the contributions of state governments to education sector were examined.

A note circulated at the conference said, "The committee hopes that the states will be convinced to think more positively, in their own interest, for sparing adequate resources for higher education."

"Pay revision is but an inescapable and most crucial step towards attracting, and retaining the talented people to the teaching profession. None of the states can afford to lag behind anymore," it said.

The recent trends show significant improvement in state finances. At present, the states have a revenue surplus of about 0.5 per cent, it said.


The pay revision for university teachers has become a necessity after the 6th Pay Commission recommended hike in salary and perks for government employees in other sectors.

In addition, teaching vacancies in universities have become a problem affecting the quality of education.

According to a report submitted by the government in Parliament, about 21 per cent of teaching posts are lying vacant in central universities. There are more vacancies in state-run universities than their central counterparts.