Regarding implementation of revised pay scales, Career Advancement Scheme, Professional Development Incentives, Fixation and Anomalies:

Prof. Armaity Desai
Chairperson
University Grants Commission
Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg
New Delhi

24 September 1998

Dear Prof. Desai,

This is with reference to the decisions the UGC is in the process of taking on different aspects concerning the implementation of the new pay scales. In particular, we draw your attention to certain aspects of the new career advancement scheme, to the provision for a professional development incentive and to issues related to fixation in the new pay scales and the anomalies arising therefrom. Since on all three counts there is a departure from the existing conditions of service, we have made certain suggestions which we feel would help in ensuring a fair, equitable and smooth process of implementation. We would request you to take these suggestions listed below into consideration while finalising your decisions.

Career Advancement

For all levels of promotion, the required number of years of service in the immediate feeder grade should be adjusted against the total number of years of service (See below[1]). Eligibility should therefore be determined as follows:

Senior Scale:

4 years of total service with Ph.D
5 years of total service with M.Phil
6 years of total service for others

Reader/Selection Grade:

5 years in Senior Scale
OR
9 years of total service with Ph.D
10 years of total service with M.Phil
11years of total service for others

Professor/Professor’s Grade:

8 years as Reader/ in Selection Grade
OR
17 years of total service with Ph.D
18 years of total service with M.Phil
19 years of total service for others

This would ensure that such teachers are not unduly and unfairly disadvantaged who have many years of service but, for reasons, beyond their control, do not have the requisite number of years in the feeder grade. For example, a teacher promoted to Reader under the 1987 scheme (after 13 years of service) would otherwise have to wait for 21 years (13 years + 8 years) to become eligible for Professorship whereas a new promotee would be eligible after 17 years.

Just as the Selection Grade is the same as the grade of Reader, the next promotion grade for those without PhDs should also be the same as the grade of Professor (See below[2]). Otherwise an unjust scheme of dual emoluments would be introduced.

Moreover, since the qualifications for appointment as Professor against an open post do not have Ph.D as a requirement, promotion to Professor should also be open to those without a Ph.D. Those who are not given the designation of Professor should be given the same grade.

Professional Development Incentives

We strongly feel that professional development incentives should be given to all teachers, and not merely for doing degree-oriented research but in fact for helping them to update their knowledge for the primary task of teaching as well as to encourage further research.

However, since the Government has presently agreed to extend such incentives to teachers registered for M.Phil/Ph.D. (See below[3]), the following may be kept in mind while finalising the scheme:

• The incentive should be given to teachers registered for Ph.D for a period of 4 years and for M.Phil for a period of 2 years.
• The teacher who is registered for M.Phil or Ph. D. should also be given at least the same amount in cash as research scholars (who get a grant of Rs. 10,000/- per annum for the expenses incurred in connection with their research and thesis), besides the assistance in kind.
• A grant for purchase of specialized equipment essential for research and not available should also be considered.

Professional development is not a requirement restricted to the period a teacher is registered for a degree but is a continuous process in the career of a teacher.  Teachers are involved in other academic activities like writing: books, monographs, articles, reviews etc.; translation; post-doctoral research etc.  They have to keep themselves up-to-date with the latest publications: books, articles, reviews, etc. on the various topics they are teaching besides keeping abreast with the changing syllabi. The teacher is above all expected to be a source of information. In the present times personal computers with Internet, E-mail and fax facilities besides purchase of newspapers, recent books, journals, magazines, participation in national and international conferences and membership of professional societies etc. are bare necessities for quality improvement in education. The UGC should therefore consider extending the scheme being finalised to cover these activities.

Fixation and Anomalies

It is essential for the smooth implementation of the process of pay revision that clear and transparent principles are laid down to redress glaring anomalies, which are bound to arise during fixation in the new pay scales. Some of these readily identifiable anomalies will arise on account of the following:

• (a) changes in the years of service required for promotions;
• (b) changes in the number of increments granted to teachers with PhD / MPhil at the time of recruitment;
• (c) changes in the number of increments granted to teachers with PhD at the time of promotion as Reader;
• (d) provision for granting two increments to teachers who acquire PhD in service.
• (e) delay in and consequent retrospective implementation of provisions of promotion and fixation of salaries;
• (f) longer time-span required for promotion under the promotion scheme of 1986 in comparison with what existed prior to that scheme as well as the new one.
• (g) special fixation of basic pay for Readers / Lecturers in Readers Grade placing all those who were in such positions on 1.1.96 at a minimum basic salary of Rs. 14,940 as and when they complete 5 years in the grade.

Unless these anomalies are resolved, many cases will occur where

• i) teachers will draw lower salary than those junior to them despite being in the same grade and having the same qualifications,
• ii) those who are recruited/promoted to a grade after 1.1.96 will draw higher salary than many who had already reached that grade before that day, and
• iii) even between those who join / are promoted to the same grade on the same day, those acquiring higher qualifications later will get higher salary than those who had done so earlier.

For a fair and smooth application of the provisions of pay revision, and in order to avoid a large number of disputes and differing interpretations of various clauses, we suggest the following:

• 1. The benefits of bunching should be given to all Selection Grade lecturers / Readers who would be placed at Rs. 14,940/- as on 1.1.96.
• 2. All existing PhD teachers who have never got the benefit, in terms of increments, of PhD in their service career either at the time of initial recruitment or at the time of promotion should be given two increments over and above other fixation in scale.
• 3. Those teachers who were appointed before 1.1.86 and had PhD before that date and could not be promoted as Reader after 1.1.86 under MPS-1983 (10 years with PhD) due to increased time-span for promotion under MPS-1987, should be given two additional increments over and above other fixation as on 1.1.96.
• 4. Two teachers A and B were appointed on same day. Both became Lecturer (Selection Grade) later. A does PhD in 1995 and gets promoted as Reader without increments. B does PhD in 1997, and gets promoted as Reader with two increments. The pay of A should be raised so as to become equal to that of B in 1997.
• 5. All lecturers who joined with PhD or acquired PhD while in service should have at least 4 increments as on 1.1.96.
• 6. All lecturers who joined with MPhil or acquired MPhil while in service should have at least 2 increments as on 1.1.96.
• 7. As per the provisions of the V Pay Commission, one increment should be given, over and above other fixation to teachers whose increment date falls on 1.1.96.
• 8. All the Readers (i.e. PhD holders) having less than 5 years experience as on 1.1.96 should be given two increments for PhD over and above other increments as suggested above and earned due to other reasons.
• 9. In case of teachers already promoted to Lecturer (Senior Scale), Lecturer (Selection Grade) and Reader under the provisions of MPS-1987 on or after 1.1.96, the dates of respective promotions should be ante-dated as per provisions of MPS-1996 without any additional formalities.

With regards,

Yours sincerely,

Nandita Narain
Elected Member, Executive Council
University of Delhi

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[1] “The Government has further agreed that the question relating to the adjustment of the total number of years of service alongwith service in the immediate feeder grade for promotion would be further discussed and finalised in consultation with the UGC.” (Minutes of discussions between HRD Minister and AIFUCTO, 5-9-98)

[2] “The Government has also declared that the UGC would prepare a specific scheme in consultation with the Government to reward and recognise meritorious teachers who may not be M.Phil or Ph.D. but who have made outstanding contributions in teaching and research. A preliminary communication indicating the views of AIFUCTO in this respect has been received from the UGC. The Scheme as finally formulated by the UGC would be expeditiously cleared by the Government and in any case within four weeks from the receipt of the finally formulated proposal from the UGC.” (Minutes of discussions between HRD Minister and AIFUCTO, 5-9-98)

[3] “Government would be willing to consider the evolution of a scheme of professional development incentive in the form of cash allowance or assistance in kind or both to those lecturers who register for M.Phil/Ph.D. and whose pursuit of research is considered satisfactory by their guide. The nature and details of the scheme would be discussed and finalised in consultation with the UGC.” (Minutes of discussions between HRD Minister and AIFUCTO, 5-9-98)

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