Move to reduce retirement age, salary grant: College teachers’ union stages dharna against Punjab govt

All the teachers raised anti-government slogans during the dharna, which was staged from 11 am to 1 pm.

Dr Gurdas Singh Sekhon, general secretary, PCCTU, in his address at DAV College, Amritsar, said that the revision in the pay scales for the university and college teachers of Punjab was announced to be implemented in October 2022 after a delay of more than five years. But clause 13 (ii) of the pay revision notification caused a lot of confusion and concern as it is being interpreted by the audit department to mean that the retirement age of university and aided college teachers has been reduced to 58 years.

He said, “No government in the country since Independence has reduced the retirement age or salary grant of any category of employees. Rather, in view of the increase in life expectancy, there has been increase in the retirement age. The central government retires its employees at 60 years. But it appears that Punjab is moving in the opposite direction.”

Protesting teachers said that due to various reasons like increase in the number of years for attaining the required qualifications to teach in higher education, the University Grants Commission (UGC) had first increased the retirement age to 62 years and subsequently to 65 years, but there is no justification to move in the opposite direction and reduce the salary grant (by two years based on retirement age of 58 years).

“This move of the Punjab government has forced the college managements to relieve teachers at the age of 58 and now it is also leading to unnecessary litigations in the courts causing great hardship to one and all,” added Dr Gurdas Singh Sekhon.

Dr Ajay Kumar, joint secretary, PCCTU, said, “If the government fails to meet our genuine demands, the teachers’ organisation will be forced to intensify the agitation and any harm to the academic atmosphere in the colleges as a result of this will be the sole responsibility of the Punjab government.”

Dr Chamkaur Singh, district president Ludhiana, PCCTU, said that the Punjab government has been favouring the private sector and has destroyed the future of higher education. He alleged that the Punjab government has back-stabbed the college and university professors of 136 aided colleges. The decision to reduce the retirement age from 60 to 58 is a conspiracy against teachers.

“Before the Punjab assembly elections, we met AAP leaders Arvind Kejriwal, Raghav Chadha, Manish Sisodia, Bhagwant Mann and Harpal Cheema to save the education sector. In response they assured us that they would give importance to education in Punjab. So, PCCTU had publicly promised to support AAP. But since coming to power, the Bhagwant Mann-led AAP government has been taking decisions against the welfare of students and teachers. On September 5, the Punjab government announced to implement the 7th pay commission for the college and university teachers, but till date it has not been implemented,” he said.

Dr Sunder Singh, district secretary of the union, said that the Mann government talks about ‘Rangla Punjab’, but it is hell-bent on destroying people’s livelihood. The government, which promises to provide employment, is engaged in making people unemployed and spoiling the future of professors through its anti-teacher decisions, he added.

Dr Raman Sharma, executive member of the union, said that under the Grants-in-Aid Act of 1979, the age of these posts has been fixed at 60. The government is on the verge of abolishing this 44-year-old provision which the teaching community strongly opposes, he said. “Moreover, we demand restoration of 95% grant to colleges instead of 75%,” he added.