PU lecturers petition minister for wage revision

Minister bats for education with morals

In a memorandum submitted to Minister for Primary and Secondary Education Kimmane Rathnakara, Coordination Committee of PU College Lecturers, has urged him to increase the pay scale of the lecturers.

The memorandum highlighted that the pay-scale of lecturers and principals of PU colleges was one of the lowest in Southern India. While lecturers and professors appointed by the Central government is Rs 33,690 and Rs 47,025 respectively, it is Rs 23,280 and Rs 25,270 respectively for appointments made by the State government. “The scale is much lower than what lecturers and principals of PU colleges receive in neighbouring states such as Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra,” Ravishankar, president of the committee said.

He said, a revision of salary structure was essential, as inflation has taken a toll. Expenses on even basic necessities have risen exponentially in the past few decades, he said.

Until 1998, pay-scales of PU lecturers was on par with tahsildars and assistant commissioners. However, following wage revisions in 1998, pay scale of lecturers were not revised along the lines of revision made for tahsildars and assistant commissioners, he said.The committee will meet the minister again on February 24, to deliberate on the issues.

Annual day

Education with principles brings value to a pupil, there is life beyond all sorts of academic degrees, said Kimmane Rathnakar.

He was speaking after the inauguration of annual day celebrations of Mount Zee Litera, off H D Kote road, here, on Tuesday. The minister added, we have achieved 76 per cent literacy growth in the country. A few decades ago, it was just 18 to 22 per cent, but everyone followed certain values and principles. “The increased literacy has snatched away all such values and the gap is widening among persons,” he remarked.

He added, though the countrymen are well-educated, the stigma of caste, religion, gender and sex is still under consideration. We have not made any efforts to abolish them. “A child has purity of thoughts, let the school be a mentor and change maker to abolish such practices in the society,” said the minister.