Promotion of 31 teachers: PU body approaches UGC to intervene

Resident auditor officer had raised objections against the pending promotion of the teachers who had applied for it under Career Advancement Scheme

Members of Panjab University Teachers’ Association (PUTA) have sought assistance from University Grants Commission (UGC) to resolve the pending promotion issue of 31 teachers. 

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Around two months back, resident auditor officer (RAO) had raised objections against the pending promotion of the teachers who had applied for it under Career Advancement Scheme (CAS). The RAO had said that the teachers had applied for the process under the criteria of previous UGC guidelines.

UGC GUIDELINES

In 2018, UGC under its new guidelines, noted that criteria for promotion under CAS laid down under these regulations shall be effective from the date of notification of the regulations. However, to avoid hardships to the faculty members who had already qualified or were likely to qualify ‘shortly’ under the existing regulations, a choice may be given to them for being considered for promotion under the existing regulations, the new guidelines said. This option can be exercised only within three years from the date of notification of these regulations, UGC said.

“UGC in its clause 6.3, notes the faculty are likely to qualify shortly under the existing guidelines but did not give the exact period for the procedure. It is now creating problems for promotion of these cases,” said PUTA president Rajesh Gill.

Meanwhile, the RAO had also questioned if the teachers are still eligible for promotion under the previous guidelines of UGC.

UT ADMN ALSO WRITES TO UGC

Sources said that UT administration has also conveyed to PU that they have written to UGC to define the word ‘shortly’, while the university has also sought clarification from the commission.

“The moment we learnt about this, we immediately visited UGC office, New Delhi, on October 11 and personally pleaded to the concerned officials there to resolve the issue in the best interest of our teachers. We are following it up this with UGC now,” Gill said.