KV Correspondent

College teachers demand restoration of PhD increments

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Srinagar: Resentment is brewing among the college lecturers against the authorities in higher education department for denying the PhD increments to them despite approval given by the University Grants Commission (UGC).
The entitlement of PhD increment for college and university professors has been in vogue from past years but was scrapped by the UGC authorities in 2016 post implementation of 7th pay commission for employees by the government of India.
However, UGC later was forced to restore this incentive for professors in June 2018 possessing PhD degree, after facing country-wide agitation of college and university teachers organized by All India Federation of University and College Teachers’ Organisations (AIFUCTO) and Federation of College and University Teachers’ Associations (FEDCUTA).
As per the regulation of University Grants Commission (UGC) the increment for college professors with PhD degree is three percent of the basic pay of the assistant and associate professors.
“But the higher education department of J&K state is yet to restore the PhD increment for the college professors. It is sheer injustice and discrimination with us,” said president college teachers association (CTA) Prof. Tariq Ashai.
As per official statistics, PhD increment gives a hike of Rs 5000 for assistant professors and Rs 10,000 to Rs 15,000 for associate professors.
The UGC guidelines state that any college professor having completed PhD before his recruitment in the higher education department gets five increments and those who pursue PhD degree post recruitment are entitled for three increments.
“The release of PhD increment to professors was restored by Kashmir and Jammu University after it was restored by UGC. But higher education department has delayed it for college professors,” Ashai said.
The delay in restoration of incentives for PhD degree demoralizes the college professors and affects their motivation for pursuing higher qualification.
“When these professors are genuinely entitled for this incentive, government can’t deny it to them. Government should not unnecessarily demoralize the qualified lot in colleges,” Ashai said.
President CTA also appealed advisor to Governor Khurshid A. Ganai and commissioner secretary HeD Sarita Chauhan, to address this genuine concern of the college teaching fraternity.
Director Colleges Zahoor Ahmad Chatt meanwhile, said the department has initiated the process for restoration of the PhD increment for the college professors possessing the doctorates degree.
“Higher education department is collecting details of associate and assistant professors from colleges who are having PhD degrees in their possession. The restoration of the increment will have financial implications which are being examined as well,” he said.


KV Correspondent

Kashmir Correspondent cover all daily updates for the newspaper

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