AIIMS staff turns up nose at pay offer

NEW DELHI, JANUARY 22: The faculty members of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences on Friday rejected the pay package announced by...

NEW DELHI, JANUARY 22: The faculty members of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences on Friday rejected the pay package announced by the Government terming it humiliating’. The faculty members, numbering around 400 and including top specialists in various areas of medicine, have called for an immediate review of the package.

They have also resolved to go on mass casual leave on January 25 as per their original plan. An indefinite strike is also being planned.

In a resolution it has sent to the Health Ministry, the Faculty Association says that “these pay scales and allowances are far below those deserved by the faculty of the Institute.” It also expressed “a deep sense of anguish at the treatment meted out to the faculty in total disregard to its stature, contribution, dedication and track record.”

The package offered by the Government, after the faculty marched to the Prime Minister’s residence this week, is a watered down version of the recommendations of the Bakshi Committee which was set up by the Health Ministry.

The faculty is otherwise in agreement with the committee’s recommendations, except in the case of pay scales for the additional professors for whom they had demanded a higher scale of Rs 18,400-Rs 22,400. The package rejects this.

The Bakshi Committee recommends Rs 12,750-Rs 16,500 to assistant professors, Rs 15,100-Rs 18,300 to associate professors, Rs 16,400-Rs 20,900 to additionl professors and Rs 22,400-Rs 24,500 to professors.

The Government offers Rs 11,625-Rs 15,200 to assistant professors, Rs 14,300-Rs 18,300 to associate professors, Rs 16,400-Rs 20,900 to additional professors and Rs 18,400-Rs 22,400 to professors.