PU staff may get five years more to serve the varsityIf allowed by the Ministry of Home Affairs, the entire Panjab University teaching staff will have a happier Diwali this year. For, if the Ministry allows the resolution passed by the Ministry of Human Resources and Development (HRD) as per which the retirement age of the teaching has been increased from 60 to 65 years, the same will hold true for the PU teaching staff as well.In a significant direction, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has directed the Ministry of Home Affairs to decide the issue of enhancement of retirement age of teaching staff of Panjab University from 60 to 65 years by October 20. The directions were passed after Advocate Anupam Gupta, appearing on behalf of Panjab University, requested the court to pass the necessary directions as the issue concerning the enhancement of retirement age is hanging fire.A bunch of petitions filed by several professors of Panjab University demanding directions to the university to increase the retirement age from 60 to 62 years is pending in the High Court. The Professors have taken the stand that since Panjab University is a Central University and that under a Central University, the retirement age of a teacher has been extended to 62 years, the same shall be applied in PU.Contesting the plea taken by the professors, Anupam Gupta submitted that the direction cannot be applied to the university as it is not a Central University. Gupta said that PU is an Inter-State University and falls in the category of centrally-funded Institution. Gupta also pointed out to the enhancement in retirement age introduced by Ministry of Human Resource and Development (MHRD). The Ministry has increased the retirement age from 60 to 65 years. However, though PU is a centrally funded Institution, it does not fall in the category of MHRD, Gupta pointed out. He further apprised the Court that PU was under the purview of Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), which is yet to decide on the issue. The Court asked the counsel to request the Ministry to decide on the issue. However, the counsel requested the court that in such cases which are of concern to several teachers, the intervention of the court was very essential. Gupta requested that the court should direct the MHA to decide the issue with immediate effect. Accepting the request, the division bench has directed the MHA to decide the issue by October 20 and file an affidavit to this effect.
