Lecturers to get UGC pay scales soon

 Though Higher Education Minister Aravinda Limbavali did not announce the same (perhaps due to Session in progress), he spoke in the affirmative to a loud applause of the teaching fraternity.

Speaking at a convention on higher education jointly organised by Federation of University and College Teachers’ Associations in Karnataka (FUCTAK) and Association of Mangalore University College Teachers (AMUCT), at St Aloysius College here on Sunday, he said: “You need not worry about UGC pay scale. But I can’t announce the same at this point of time. The Cabinet sub-committee has met twice in this regard and it may happen before September end.”

Lamenting that no college or university in the State has been able to bag top 10 ranks, he called upon the teachers and head of the institutions to work towards making at least one college a ‘model.’ He also said that the vice chancellors will be given more powers to keep politics away from the Education Department. “In fact a committee has been formed to increase the enrolment in basic sciences,” he informed and added that a sum of Rs 10 crore has been set aside to encourage basic science courses.

Speaking on the occasion, NRI Forum Deputy Chairman Capt Ganesh Karnik stressed the need to give importance to private public partnership. He also stressed the need to strengthen the offices of Joint Directors of Collegiate Education so that even placements can be made at JD-level.

He also urged the Minister to increase the guest lecturers’ salaries from the existing Rs 5,000 to at least Rs 10,000 per month and to pay the same on time.

MLA and KSIIDC Chairman N Yogish Bhat too supported the views of Capt Karnik and urged the Minister to pay at least Rs 10,000 salary to guest lecturers on humanitarian grounds.

However, Higher Education Secretary A S Srikanth asked the teachers to demand to make them permanent staff, instead of requesting to double their salaries. “Don’t you want to regularise your services. Instead of asking for Rs 10,000 a month, why don’t you demand to regularise your posts,” he suggested. He also said that the problems of guest lecturers, stop-gap lecturers, part-time lecturers and contract lecturers will end within three months. Stating that the higher education today is a happening sector, he said that if the lecturers do not respond to the speed of reforms, it would be a great loss to the lecturers.

Collegiate Education Commissioner Dr Nagambika Devi thanked the FUCTAK and AMUCT for bringing clarity in explaining the problems of the teachers, which was lacking in the department. She was all praise for teachers’ bodies and called upon the lecturers to be agents of change.

St Aloysius College Principal Rev Fr Swebert D’Silva appealed to the Minister to consider the new courses under grant-in-aid so that more number of students can take up new courses.

Presiding over the convention, Mangalore University Vice Chancellor Prof K M Kaveriappa regretted that about 90 per cent of the students are deprived of higher education. “It means that 90 per cent of the students are left out while making selections for various posts,” he said.

He also said that Udupi may get a PG centre if the authorities concerned ask for it.
Earlier, Limbavali released Amuct bulletin, edited by Dr Norbert Lobo. As many as 18 lecturers were also honoured for obtaining PhDs and other awards. FUCTAK, AMUCT and various other organisations felicitated Aravinda Limbavali and other dignitaries. Almost all speakers lauded the efforts of FUCTAK President Prof A M Narahari for organising the event wherein all the officials concerned of the Education Department came together in a single platform.

‘Bandicoots in M’lore varsity’

At least three speakers flayed the registrars and appealed to the Minister to replace them at the earliest. Capt Ganesh Karnik urged Higher Education Minister Aravinda Limbavali to replace the bureaucrat-registrars. “The faster you replace the registrars who know nothing about education, the better for the universities. Else the universities will be spoilt,” he cautioned.

On the other hand, MLA and KSIIDC Chairman N Yogish Bhat indirectly termed the registrars as bandicoots. “Some bandicoots have joined the universities. You expel them at the earliest and do not compromise on them,” he requested.