Punjab Teachers yet to be paid arrears of revised UGC Scales

On the call of Punjab Federation of University and College Teachers’ Organization (PFUCTO), university and college teachers launched an agitation on Saturday, to press for the early release of arrears of UGC pay scales among other demands. The agitation was aimed at expressing their resentment against the apathy of the state government of Punjab and UT administration to issues related to higher education. Teachers of Punjabi University, PAU, and GNDU, government and non government colleges held rallies after delivering the first two lectures.

H S Kingra and Jagwant Singh, president and general secretary of the federation, respectively, said, “While other state government employees have been paid 70% of the arrears of pay revision, no arrears have been released to teachers of GNDU, Punjabi University, 55 government colleges and 136 aided colleges of the state. This is despite the fact that government of India is willing to reimburse 80% of the arrears in two to three installments and letter to the effect has already been received by the government.”

Teachers said the number of vacancies in the university system is nearly 4,000 and pension-gratuity scheme is hanging in fire for two decades. The lack of funding by the government is causing serious problems for both universities and colleges.

Teachers of Punjab University, colleges of Chandigarh and PAU where full arrears have already been paid wore black badges.

Source: The Times of India