The DTF expresses grave concern over the MHRD notification with regard to pay revision of university and college teachers. After severe criticism of the downgrading of teachers in the proposals announced by the MHRD in the Parliament on 16 December 2006, the Government has only conceded to placement of incumbent Readers in PB4 with a Grade Pay of 9000 after completion of three years of service as Reader. On the rest, the notification reiterates the Parliament announcement and further introduces additional conditions to be specified by the UGC for promotion.

The recommendations of the UGC Pay Review Committee had come in for severe criticism for downgrading the teaching profession.

The Government has downgraded the profession further through the following:

1. At entry, the Grade Pay has been reduced from 6600 to 6000 and the two advance increments at entry have been withdrawn.
2. Six years after entry for those with a post- graduate degree and NET, the Grade Pay has been reduced to 7000.
3. The time required for promotion to Reader / Associate Professor has been increased by three years. This has created a further problem of re-introducing a despicable system of dual emoluments where a promoted Reader / Associate Professor would draw less salary than a directly recruited one. This illegality can only be avoided by restoring the existing time span for promotion to the Associate Professor.
4. College teachers have been denied promotion to Professor Grade. The provision for creation of a few posts of professor in colleges which would be open for promotion at the discretion of the administration would destroy academic ethos and discourage dissent.
5. Professors have been downgraded to a Grade Pay of 10000.
6. The introduction of quota based (10%) promotion of Professors to a Grade Pay of 12000 would destroy the academic environment in the university departments since the administration is authorised to play favourite consequent upon the quota system..
7. Additional conditions for the delayed promotion to Associate Professor are in the offing since the Government has directed the UGC to stipulate conditions for teachers to move from Grade Pay of 6000 to 7000 and from 7000 to 8000. For teachers who have not already become Reader / Associate Professor, more conditions would be imposed compared to the existing.
8. The minimum Pay in the Pay Band for the Grade Pays of 6000, 7000, 8000 and 9000 have not been specified. There are apprehensions that the Pay associated with these would be downgraded to those for Pay Bands of 5400, 6600, 7600 and 8700 in the Government.
9. There is no stipulation that that the minimum Pay during fixation of existing teachers with various Grade Pays would be at least equal to their equivalents at recruitment at those levels. This can result in much lower salary for teachers compared to IAS at the same /lower Grade Pay.
10. The librarians are downgraded in comparison to teachers with regard to retirement age and recruitment at the level of Deputy Librarian.

It demands that the Grade Pays and service conditions of teachers at various levels be upgraded in view of the deficiencies mentioned above.

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