PU Chandigarh: Stalled promotions, ‘discriminatory’ rules push college teachers to renew parity demand

Faculty members from both government colleges and privately-managed government-aided colleges in Chandigarh have renewed their demand for parity in benefits and service rules with central university employees and those of the union territory’s other departments. They allege that years of administrative delay have resulted in stalled promotions, unpaid allowances, and “discriminatory” service conditions.

The colleges are affiliated to Panjab University, which is funded by both the union government and the Punjab government and has been, since 1966, an “inter-state body corporate”. The fight is over the full implementation of the University Grants Commission’s 2018 regulations – including its pay and promotion provisions – as well as the Central Civil Service rules. The CCS rules were implemented for all departments of the UT administration in 2022 but not in PU Chandigarh.

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The issue has brought two teachers’ bodies, the Chandigarh Aided College Teachers’ Association (CACTA) and the Chandigarh Government Colleges Teachers’ Association (CGCTA) together, with both threatening agitation if demands are not met. The two represent nearly 770 teachers combined.

UGC Regulations: Delay hurts teachers

The aided college teachers have accused the UT administration of continuing neglect of long-pending demands of teachers working in aided colleges.

CACTA’s statement says that despite the vice-chancellor of Panjab University writing to the finance and education secretaries of the UT administration, no concrete action has been taken so far. “The continued inaction has caused deep resentment among the teaching fraternity and is adversely impacting academic functioning and institutional stability,” it says.

“Our main demand is the complete implementation of UGC Regulations, 2018. Promotions under the Career Advancement Scheme have been stalled since July 18, 2018, and teachers are also waiting for the release of pending dearness allowance and parity in house rent allowance,” said Amitabh Dwivedi, secretary of CACTA and faculty member at DAV College, Chandigarh.

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Another CACTA member, Shamendra Singh Sandhu, associate professor at DAV College, Sector 10, said promotions have been frozen for over six years. “Career Advancement Scheme promotions have not taken place since July 2018. Teachers have been stuck at the same level despite fulfilling eligibility conditions,” he said.

The teachers also demand HRA as per norms applicable for central government employees, one-year probation with full salary and regularisation, increase in retirement age and “protection of past service benefits”.

Central notifications, parity with UT

While CACTA represents aided colleges, the Chandigarh Government Colleges Teachers’ Association (CGCTA) has raised parallel concerns through a detailed letter submitted to the UT administration, seeking immediate implementation of UGC regulations and Central Civil Services (CCS) rules.

The letter refers to a March, 2022 gazette notification issued by the ministry of home affairs, which says that the service conditions of union territory employees must follow central government rules.

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"According to the gazette notification, the Chandigarh administration cannot choose which UGC rules to follow. If a rule is adopted, it must be followed completely," said Prashant Gaurav, president of CGCTA. Among other other differences, the retirement age under central regulation is significantly higher.

According to CGCTA, around 70 teachers in government colleges have been affected by delays in promotions and other benefits.

“CAS promotions have been pending since 2018. Applications were invited, interviews were scheduled, but no final action was taken. This has caused serious financial loss to teachers,” Gaurav said.

The association has also demanded the implementation of a five-day work week, pointing out that all central universities, Panjab University, and even several UT offices in Chandigarh already follow a five-day schedule

“Government colleges are the only institutions where casual leave (CL) has been reduced to eight days without implementing a five-day work week. This violates UGC norms and affects research and academic output,” Gaurav said.

Student support

The CACTA has claimed that aided colleges in Chandigarh cater to around 35,000 students, many of whom have expressed solidarity with teachers’ demands.

"We avoided boycotting exams to prevent losses, but protests will start again when the new academic session begins if our issues are not resolved," said Sandhu.

Both associations have said they prefer dialogue but warned that continued inaction by the UT administration could lead to intensified protests in the coming months.