UGC staff demonstrate over pay scales

NEW DELHI, Jan 8: The University Grants Commission (UGC) Staff Association has launched an agitation in protest against, what they termed as, the `unjustified and illegal’ decision of the commission regarding revision of pay scales of assistants and personal assistants.

The agitating employees staged an hour-long demonstration following the failure of the talks between the chairperson and the secretary of the commission.The general secretary of the association said in a statement that since the inception of the commission the assistants and PAs have been getting a salary of the scale equivalent to that of the staff of the Central Secretariat.Accordingly, the UGC had implemented the pay scale of Rs 1,640-2,900 for its assistants and PAs in 1990.

However, while the Fifth Pay Commission had recommended Rs. 5,500-9,000 for assistants and PA’s, the UGC, `in connivance’ with the Human Resource Development Ministry, had notified the revised pay scales of Rs. 5,000-8,000 for its employees, the association alleged.