RAJ KUMAR
Ranchi, Oct.11: The All India Federation of University and College Teachers Association of Jharkhand (AIFUCTO) has knocked on the door of chancellor Ramesh Bais besides asking University Grant Commission chairman D.P.Singh to intervene in the matter of as many as 555 teachers, who did not get any promotion since their appointment in different colleges under different universities across the state in 2008.
General Secretary of the organisation Arun Kumar informed about the development to Lagatar24.com sharing the letters sent to the governor cum chancellor of state universities and UGC.
Kumar said that the step was taken after it was observed that teachers appointed in 2008 constitute nearly 80 percent of the total strength after due to denial of their promotion as well as an increase in grade pay since their appointment they feel humiliated and not enthused enough to impart quality education.
He said that the issue of ‘statute gap’ and intervention of JPSC is coming as a major hurdle before the promotion and thus the chancellor has been requested to look into the matter.
Explaining the statute gap, Kumar said: “Jharkhand government did not extend the career advancement scheme (CAS) (effective from 27.7.1998) beyond 31.12.2008 and brought a new statute on 6.8.2021 based on UGC regulation 2018 (bypassing the UGC Regulation 2010). Therefore, a statute-gap has emerged between1.1.2009 and 5.8.2021(both dates inclusive). This statute-gap violates the principle/provision of the Jharkhand State University Act 2000 and is questionable before the court of law,” he said.
Kumar said while informing about the statute gap the chancellor has also been made aware of the suggested step giving an example of neighbouring state, Bihar.
“Bihar government has also brought a new statute based on UGC Regulation 2018 (bypassing the UGC Regulation 2010) but has extended the CAS2005 (also effective from 27.7.1998) so that there is no statute-gap and therefore teachers promotion from the due date is not obstructed without any valid reason,” he said.
He said that organization also raised the issue of autonomy of the university system while raising the issue of delayed promotion and explained how it has created a crisis of a person in the state to become vice-chancellor of any university.
“It is a known fact that the Jharkhand State University Act 2000 is an adaptation of the Bihar State University Act. Promotion of teachers should be a university affair, this practice has been followed in Bihar, but in Jharkhand, promotion of university/college teachers is done through the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC). This practice violates the autonomy of
University system. This is also one of the major reasons for stagnation in the career of teachers in Jharkhand and now the situation has reached the extent that the state lacks eligible professors who could apply for the post of Vice-Chancellor in different Universities of Jharkhand and India. Thus in the letter, it has been mentioned,” he said.
One of the signatories, Rakesh Kumar of SKMU who joined as Assistant Professor with a PhD degree in 2008 says that his academic grade pay (AGP) should have increased from 6000 to 7000 after 4 years of joining and further to 8000 after further 5 years. Then after further 3 years, he should have become an Associate professor with AGP 9000. “I am still on the entry point of assistant professor with the entry point AGP of 6000,” he added.
