Early Times Report
Jammu, Oct 22: Latest notification of the Finance Department mandating the government to retire any employee after he/she has completed 22 years of qualifying service or attaining 48 years of age has sent shock waves among the employees fraternity but it has also dashed all the hopes of college teachers, who were demanding enhancement of retirement age from present 60 to 65 years.
According to sources, the College teaching fraternity including Associate Professors as well as Assistant Professors have been demanding enhancement of retirement age from 60 to 65 years for the last many years. Even Lieutenant Governor’ s Advisor had also personally intervened in their matter and asked the Higher Education Department to look into the issue.
The College teaching fraternity has been pursuing their case of retirement age enhancement, given the retirement age in the Universities as well as colleges across the country. “In all the Universities the retirement age of faculty members is 65 years, while in Jammu and Kashmir the retirement age of college teachers is still 60 years”, sources said, adding that even as per University Grants Commission rules, the age of teaching faculty of colleges was 65 years.
Sources further said that the College teaching faculty members have been pursuing their case, taking reference of UGC norms as well as retirement age criteria followed by varsities as well as colleges in various states. “The issue was strongly pursued by the college faculty members and it was also reported that the State Administrative Council (SAC) headed by the then Governor Satya Pal Malik has almost decided to enhance the retirement age of the college teachers, which would benefit to over faculty members in around 100 colleges of Jammu and Kashmir”, source said, adding that after no decision was taken in the SAC, the college faculty members had again approached the Advisor, who had recommended the proposal.
Now, in view of the latest notification of the Finance Department, the hopes of college faculty members have been almost dashed. “A college faculty member, who has already attained the age of 58 years and has been getting a salary of over Rs 2 lakhs per month but in return he/she has not been taking any classes or minimum class work. So as per the latest criteria, in the interest of public as well as unemployed youth, such faculty members could be first retired as in salary of Rs 2 lakh per month, four assistant professors can be engaged”, sources said, adding that it would be interesting to note, how the government would deal with the issue in view of UGC recommendations as well as growing unemployment in Jammu and Kashmir. |
