NEW DELHI: The recent promotions of about 100 teachers in Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) has come under sharp criticism from a section on the campus, alleging gross violation of norms as they were carried out under the Fifth Pay Commission guidelines and not under rules of the Sixth Pay Commission, which are more stringent.
They claim that a majority of teachers in IGNOU will not be able to meet the ‘academic performance index’ if the UGC-notified Career Advancement Scheme (CAS) for college teachers and academic staff, which came after the Sixth Pay Commission, are taken into account. “Teachers of IGNOU are drawing Sixth Pay Commission salaries, whereas their CAS is regulated as per the Fifth Pay Commission, meaning that the revised norms of CAS as per UGC guidelines is grossly violated,” claimed a section in the university. The fact that the appointments were cleared by the acting vice-chancellor Nageshwar Rao has also enraged the agitating lot.
However, a senior professor dismissed such allegations and said the acting V-C is within his rights to discharge the rights. He also said that out of the 100 promotions, 45 are from non-academic backgrounds.
The largest open university in the world has been riddled in controversy ever since an eventful tenure of then V-C V N Rajasekharan Pillai. While he came under a CBI probe following allegations of irregularities, his successor M Aslam also came under the scanner for some of his decisions, including discontinuing community colleges. While he is also facing a probe, Rao has taken over as acting V-C.
Teachers who are opposing the recent developments allege that a section is enjoying the benefits of the Sixth Pay Commission despite that the plea for the approval of the proposed ordinance has still not come from the ministry.
On superannuation, they claim that teachers are enjoying the raise in the age of retirement from 62 to 65 years when a Department of Higher Education circular of March 23, 2007, states that the age of superannuation will be applicable to teachers of Central universities who are “involved in classroom teaching”. Teachers of IGNOU, being an open university, are not engaged in classroom teaching.
Further, the new statute amending the existing one to effect the decision has not been vetted yet and the matter is sub judice. It has been alleged that during the last five years, `20 crore has been drained on this.