FEDCUTA Press Release; 20 November 2019

   
A FEDCUTA delegation met Prof. D P Singh, Chairman of the UGC, to discuss long pending issues of teachers across Central Universities. The delegation comprised of Rajib Ray, President FEDCUTA and DUTA, D.K. Lobiyal, Secretary of FEDCUTA and President, JNUTA and Majid Jamil, Treasurer of FEDCUTA and Secretary of Jamia Teachers’ Association.


The delegation brought to the notice of the UGC that PhD/ MPhil increments have not been restored in most Central Universities despite being mandated by the UGC Regulations 2018. Similarly, despite the announcement of the release of allowances, the arrears are yet to be paid. In fact, several universities are yet to release the final instalment of salary arrears and pensioners too have been denied payment of arrears and enhanced gratuity. Further, retired teachers of universities and colleges across the country are still waiting for corrected Concordance tables for revised pension. The Delegation requested for notifications on these matters for smooth implementation of the 7th CPC.


The delegation reminded the Chairperson that the relief given to teachers awaiting promotions for over a decade due to the irrational API scheme awaits implementation in respect to the “relaxed API scheme” in the UGC Regulations 2018, especially because of a missing table that the UGC is yet to correct. The delegation stressed the point that teachers will continue to suffer unless all hurdles to promotions are removed on an urgent basis. 


The delegation also took up the long pending issues of stepping up of pay, retirement and death gratuity under NPS as this is affecting a large number of teachers across the country. Similarly, the age of retirement for librarians, parity of Instructors, recruitment on compassionate grounds and enhanced pay for non-teaching employees were also reiterated.


The FEDCUTA delegation also raised the issue of the 28 August 2019 circular issued by Delhi University which stipulates that all new vacancies arising for the first time starting from the academic session 2019-20 be filled with guest faculty. This is causing havoc in DU as colleges and Departments are finding it difficult to work with guest faculty against substantive posts. This has adversely affected teaching-learning and stability of institutions. It was also pointed out that many ad-hoc teachers who have served the University and its colleges for long years have become victims of this grossly unjust, arbitrary and illegal decision of the University.  The DUTA President also raised the demand for a One-time Regulation for the absorption of ad-hoc and temporary teachers in view of the fact that appointments have been held up in Delhi University for one reason or the other and young teachers have become victims of the system that has failed to make permanent appointments.


The delegation also raised the demand for modification of the Guidelines for Guest Appointments with respect to the composition of the Selection Committee, especially in universities that have a federal character. It was pointed out that the loss of teaching time in a semester system led to an academic crisis and hence, Universities should be allowed to evolve a transparent selection process best suited for their structure. The Chairperson took cognizance of the matter and promised to intervene.


The FEDCUTA hopes that the UGC will take steps for  speedy resolution of all these issues.

         Rajib Ray                                                                                                           D.K. Lobiyal