EDUCATION

Row over career advancement scheme
From Our Correspondent

LUDHIANA, Sept 14 — Serious differences have appeared among the teachers of Punjab Agricultural University over the career advancement scheme (CAS) linked with pay scales of the teachers which have been revised from January 96.

The teachers are divided into two groups — those who joined the university after completing their M.Sc and had done Ph.D. while in service, and those who were appointed on the basis of their Ph.D.

The teachers who joined the varsity after competing their Ph.D. are upset over the notification issued by the varsity authorities concerning the CAS, dated August 11, 2000. They have found fault with the clauses of the notification and are sore over the issue. This group of Associate Professors has made a representation to the Registrar as well as the Vice-Chancellor. They claim that the notification issued by the varsity authorities is at variance with the one which had been issued by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research, dated July 19, 2000.

The notification by the university was issued after the Board of Management approved it in its meeting held at Chandigarh on June 14 and July 28 this year. It is for the first time in the history of higher education that teachers have been given the benefit of total service.

According to the university notification, irrespective of the fact whether a teacher is a Ph.D. or a M.Sc who acquires the Ph.D. degree while in service at university expenses, he/she will be eligible for the post of Reader/Associate Professor after 9 years of service. The same notification also states that for the promotion of Associate professor to Professor, 8 years of service as Associate Professor or a total service of 17 years is required.

Teachers of the other group say that the stand taken by the university is logical. They say that the notification of the university has quoted ICAR’s notification verbatim. “If the number of years required in a feeder cadre are less than those stipulated in the notification, thus entailing hardship to those who have completed more than the total number of years in their entire service for eligibility in the cadre, may be placed in the next higher cadre after adjusting the total number of years,’’ says ICAR’s clause 2.6.

According to the candidates holding Ph.D. degrees, before joining the varsity, their superiority should be maintained over those with M.Sc degree at the time of appointment. They also claim that service benefits of 3 years for possessing a Ph.D. degree should be given to those holding the degree at the time of appointment as are given to those holding a M.Sc degree at the time of appointment, who then complete their Ph.D. degree by availing a study leave at university expenses.

Describing the university notification as “discriminatory”, they have asked for the removal of all the discriminatory clauses from it and demanded that the ICAR notification should be implemented in toto.

They disclosed that they had also met the PAUTA president, Dr H. S. Brar, to advocate their case before the authorities. However, Dr Brar refused to admit that he had come across any representation. These teachers also met the Registrar, Mr, Alok Shekar, who said that the university would study the matter and remove the anomalies if any.

However, the rival group, claims that it was a move to scuttle the notification issued by the university after the Registrar had invited applications from eligible candidates by September 25. Some others believe that this representation may jeopardise the career prospects of a large number of teachers.

Govt ‘blocking’ UGC recommendations
From Our Correspondent

LUDHIANA, Sept 14 — The Association of Principals of Non-Government Colleges has blamed the state government for blocking the implementation of the UGC recommendations regarding the grant of professors’ grade (16400-450-20900-500-22400) to the principals in the state.

Principal Tarsem Bahia, president of the association, said that the UGC had recommended the professors’ grade to principals’ recruited with 15 years’ experience of teaching and research in universities and colleges but even the principals with over 20 years’ of experience were working in reader’s pay scale.

Mr Bahia appealed to the state government to implement the UGC recommendations.

PU Senate poll enters final phase
By A. S. Prashar
Tribune News Service

LUDHIANA, Sept 14 — “Choose server, not leader”, says a teacher seeking election to the Senate of Panjab University. “Not only vote, give me blessings also”, entreats the other. “Elect those who can raise your voice in Senate”, opines a third one. Yet another one solicits vote “for promotion of value based education”. Campaigning is in full swing for the fourth and final phase of the Panjab University Senate elections slated for Sunday.

Although it has become quite expensive to run a poll campaign these days, the candidates are leaving no stone unturned to improve their chances of making to the prestigious body of the university. They are wooing the electorate through personal visits and letters as also by addressing small rallies in colleges where they a number of promises. Another method adopted by them to win friends and influence people is through their large circle of friends and relatives. Colourful posters brought out by some of them have lent some colour to the campaign .

PU Senate elections are held after every four years. These were last held in 1996. The Senate has a total of 84 seats excluding the Vice-Chancellor. It has 47 elected members, 29 nominated fellows and eight ex-officio members.

The poll schedule which is being completed in four phases is as follows: In the first phase held on August 25, six members were elected from different faculties of PU. In the second phase held on September 4, six members were elected from the professional colleges).

In the third phase, held on September 11, four members were elected from PU lecturers, readers and professors.

In the fourth and last phase to be held on September 17, 31 fellows will be elected detailed as below:

Registered Graduates Constituency with special reference to Ludhiana: Total contestants in the state-36 Prominent contestants from Ludhiana include Dr Mukesh Arora (Govt. College for Boys and sitting Senator), Mr Charan Singh (Headmaster (retd) and sitting Senator), Prof Rajinder Bhandari (Arya College and sitting Senator), Prof Mahesh Chander Sharma (Arya College) and Mr Rajeev Bhasin (Arya College).

Fellows to be elected   Registered graduates’              15 constituency College teachers’ constituency                           8 College principals’ constituency                           8                                          ——                                            31                                          ——

Lecturers’ constituency (Ludhiana scenario): Nineteen lecturers are contesting for eight seats. Contestants from Ludhiana are as follows: Prof Satish Sharma (Arya College and sitting Senator), Prof Amarjeet Singh Dua (Govt College for Women, sitting Fellow), Dr Hardeep Singh (Govt College for Boys) and Prof Jai Pal Singh (Govt College for Boys).

Principals’ constituency: Only nine Principals are contesting elections throughout the State and UT Chandigarh out of which four are from district Ludhiana. They are Mr T.R. Bahia ( A.S. College, Khanna, ex-Senator), Ms Harmeet Kaur (Ramgarhia College for Women, sitting Fellow), Mr Buddhi Raja (S. D. Kamla Lotia College ) and Mr J. S. Gill (G.N. College, Doraha).

Incidentally, Panjab University established during the British Raj is the only university which gives representation to various sections in its Senate, which is the supreme decision making body. Universities established in Punjab after 1947 i.e. Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar and Punjabi University, Patiala, have no democratic set-up comparable to the one in Panjab University. Senators in these universities are nominated by the Punjab Government.