Punjab Federation of University and College Teachers’ organizations (PFUCTO) representing all the universities and colleges of Punjab and Chandigarh is sore over the delay by Chandigarh Administration in deciding case of Career Advancement Scheme (CAS) and research degree increments. Dr. Jagwant Singh, General Secretary, PFUCTO said that the confusion prevailing in the Education Department can be easily sorted out if a meeting for the purpose is held. He said that PFUCTO had written to Shri V.K. Singh, Secretary, Education on April 3, 2012 seeking a meeting to discuss these issues and hoped that meeting will be held soon. He said that cases held up due to lack of clarity are affecting more than 250 teachers.
Explaining the case of Career Advancement Scheme (CAS) he said that cases need to be disposed off according to para 10 of Punjab Govt. notification dated September 2, 2009, which states that “Regular and systematic appraisal of performance of teachers is to be an essential element in the management of education and this has been taken into account in the designing for the career development of teachers. Till the State government formulates the guidelines for evaluation of performance of teachers, as per policy to be framed by the UGC and becomes operative, the existing screening mechanism/selection procedure prescribed by the Universities concerned/State Government will apply to all the placements/promotions”. Since Punjab Govt. is yet to start an exercise on the subject the cases needs to be dispose of according to the existing screening mechanism. As far as API/PBAS system proposed in the UGC regulations is concerned the same are now under review by the UGC itself. A Review Committee headed by Prof. Anand Krishnan met on March 22, 2012 and interacted with a delegation of All India Federation of University and College Teachers Organizations (AIFUCTO). Prior to this, Anomaly Committee of UGC has proposed a different roll out plan, which is being considered by the Anand Krishnan Committee. The proposed API is only a ‘Template’ plan which has to be finalized by each state for its college. There is no point in starting the exercise when UGC itself is reviewing the scheme.
Regarding research degree increments he said that confusion created on the subject by UGC is Jan, 2003 was sorted out by it in its letter dated July 18, 2003. It is unfortunate that U.T. Administration is still grappling with the issue. The teachers of Govt. Colleges who were regularized from the date of joining deserve the research degree increments and their cases can not be compared with teachers regularized in Punjab as the basis is different. He urged upon Shri V.K. Singh to hold a meeting at the earliest.