EDUCATION

Decision on teachers’ plea by month-end
By Chitleen K Sethi
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Dec 3 — Pending a decision of the Chandigarh Administration, Punjab Engineering College teachers’ age of retirement may be increased from 58 to 60. The college had given a representation to the Administration to consider increasing the age of retirement of its teachers from 58 to 60 following a similar decision taking by the Punjab Government regarding technical colleges of Punjab.

As per the GOI revision of pay and service conditions notification dated October 9,1998, Page 3, Point (vi),”the age of superannuation of teachers in degree level technical institutions would be 62 years and thereafter no extension will be given. However, the institute may re-employ a superannuated teacher up to 65 years in accordance with the existing provisions in the statutes/ memorandum of Association and rules/ schemes, regulations and bye laws of the Institute, as the case may be.”

In a reply to the Chandigarh Administration, the GOI, Ministry of Human Resource Development clarified in a letter dated September 2, 1999, “It is noted that the age of superannuation of the employees of Chandigarh administration is governed by the Punjab Civil Services rules and hence the scheme of revision of pay scales may be implemented with appropriate modifications to that effect.”

Referring to the GOI notification and the above letter, Chandigarh administration passed an order implementing the scheme of revision of pay scales of teachers in Punjab Engineering College and other degree level technical institutions “as per the AICTE pattern with modification that the age of superannuation of the employees of the Chandigarh Administration will be governed by the Punjab Civil Services Rules.”

And the Government of Punjab, notification to this effect dated March 2, 2000, clearly stated that the age of superannuation of teachers in technical institutions would remain 58.

Meanwhile, in August 2000, the Punjab and Haryana High Court gave a decision, following a case, regarding the age of retirement of teachers of engineering colleges in Punjab as being 60. This decision was sent to the Director, Technical Education, Punjab.

Punjab Engineering College is functioning under the Chandigarh Administration which follows the conditions of services of the Punjab pattern including the age of superannuation for the corresponding categories of staff. The college has given a representation to the Administration to this effect and is waiting a decision on the matter.

Mr Ashok Sangwan, Director, Technical Education, UT Chandigarh, says, “We have received a representation to this effect but no decision has been taken as yet. The age of retirement of teachers at PEC remains 58 years. But a decision on that representation will be taken before the month ends.”

College teachers threaten stir
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Dec 3 — The teaching staff working in colleges at Jalandhar, Nakodar, Kapurthala, Naru-Panchat, Begowal, Sang-Dhasian, Nadala, Domeli, Phillaur and Sultanpur Lodhi will observe “cease work” on December 4 on a call given by the Punjab and Chandigarh College Teachers Union (PCCTU).

Prof Charanjit Chawla, General Secretary of the PCCTU, said that all teachers would assemble at Desh Bhagat Yadgar Hall, Jalandhar, and march to the DC’s office to submit a memorandum to the Chief Minister through him, listing those demands which had already been accepted by the constitutional and statutory bodies of the Punjab Government, but illegally held by the Punjab Finance Department, a press release said here today.

The executive committee of the PCCTU has also requested the Chief Minister, Punjab, to hold a meeting with representatives of the union to resolve the deadlock created by officials in the interest of lakhs of students of the state.