Even as colleges throughout Nagaland were affected due to the two-day pen down strike by the All Nagaland Government College Teachers Association (ANGCTA) in support of certain demands pertaining to 6th RoP arrears, a high level meeting was held Monday at the chief minister’s office at New Secretariat though no tangible decisions were reportedly taken to meet all the demands.
Highly placed sources told Nagaland Post that the state government might stick to the decision made during the July cabinet meeting, wherein it agreed to release the RoP arrears of the retiring and retired teachers.
However, for the remaining employees, the cabinet had decided that arrears would be deposited into their GPF account which would not be released before the next three financial years.
It was also learnt that the meeting held today, has asked the ANGCTA to be reasonable with their demands since the government had appointed teachers without following the required University Grants Commission (UGC) norms.
As per the UGC norms, a teacher must be a Post Graduate + NET + P.hd in order to be appointed in a college.
In addition, sources said as per UGC norms retirement age is 65 years, while the state government was not inclined to increase the current retirement age from 60 to 65.
The government felt that increasing the retirement age from 60 to 65 years would open a Pandora box where government servants of the other various departments would also make similar demands.
State Govt. Concedes
Meanwhile, a communiqué issued by Commissioner & Secretary higher & technical education F.P. Solo appealed to the ANGCTA to call off the agitation in the interest of the student community also since the government has agreed to concede to some of the demands.
At a meeting attended by chief minister Neiphiu Rio , chief secretary Alemtemshi Jamir and senior officers of the department of higher & technical education, it was decided to release the pay arrears of government college teachers in cash only to teachers who have already retired and those who have expired.
It was decided to release 20% of the state’s share in cash and impound/credit 80% as Central share into the GPF accounts of the serving teachers.
The amount can be withdrawn as and when Central share was received. The state government said that despite resource constraints, it was decided to release the arrears of pay amounting to Rs. 22.54 crores consequent upon implementation of UGC (minimum qualification for appointment of teachers and other academic staff in universities and colleges and other measures for the maintenance of standards in higher education) regulation 2010 with effect from January 1, 2006.
The communiqué also cited the judgment of a division bench of the Supreme Court headed by Chief Justice Altamas Kabir (retd) on July 19, wherein it held that retirement age and pay scale fixed by the UGC for teachers are “not binding for universities and colleges run by the states”.
Further the state government said it observed there could be no automatic application of the recommendations made by the UGC , without any conscious decision being taken by the state in this regard, on account of the financial implications and other consequences attached to such a decision.
Citing the apex court judgment, the communiqué asserted that it was not mandatory on the part of the state government to implement the UGC pay scheme to teachers of government colleges.
However, it said despite this, the state government has been implementing the UGC pay scale with and other attractive career facilities for the welfare of the teaching community and the students.
It said the pay packages and facilities not available for other government employees are extended to the teaching community of higher education in the state.
Solo therefore contended that it was the prerogative of the state government whether or not to adopt the revised UGC pay scheme as upheld by the highest court of the land.
DIMAPUR: The second phase of the ANGCTA’s two-day pen down strike in Dimapur Government College was total as class rooms wore an empty look.
According to convener action committee of ANGCTA, Dr. Moang it was decided to go ahead with the strike in view of not having received any response from the state government till Monday morning.
Moang said there was no response from the government despite several representations. He said on May 7, 2013, the government “committed” to pay the pending arrears before July 31, 2013 but failed to do so. Five hundred teachers from 13 Colleges have joined the strike excluding teachers of Kohima Science College.
KIPHIRE: Along with the rest of the state, the only higher educational institute in Kiphire district, Zisaji Presidency College (ZPC) Monday staged a pen-down agitation as part of the phase II stir launched by ANGCTA.
Interacting with the media persons, ZPC teachers’ association general secretary said: “We are not against the government but we are protesting against the government for not paying what is due to us.”
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