Vet varsity retirees stage protest
The Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University Retired Teachers Association (GADVASURTA) sat in protest in front of the administrative block of Veterinary University to press for the long pending demands of retired teachers of GADVASU.
The state government has accepted the recommendations of the Seventh Central Pay Commission (Sixth Punjab Pay Commission) for implementation of UGC pay scales/pension wef January 1, 2016. Although revision of pay scales and pension including pension benefits have been implemented to different segments of state government employees including other universities and colleges of the state wef July 1, 2021 and October 1, 2022, the vet varsity has implemented the revised UGC pay scales and pension wef April 1, 2023. This is gross discrimination to the retired teachers, the protesters said.
Strangely enough, the pension of GADVASU teachers who retired before January 1, 2016, has not been revised at all.
Further, GADVASU teachers who retired between January 1, 2016 and April 1, 2020 have not been paid gratuity, leave encashment and fixed medical allowance as per the revised UGC pay scales.
Dr SS Singh, general secretary of the association, said a number of representation had been made to the vice-chancellor and the state government but to no avail.
Regarding the availability of funds, Dr Singh elaborated the university had adequate funds from its sources to meet the requirements of revised pension, pension benefits, arrears, allowances. Dr RS Sahota, vice-president of the association, said if the university or the state government did not acceded to their demands the protest would be intensified by involving teachers and students of the university. A memorandum of demands was presented to the V-C.
