Teachers make attempts to raise retirement age from 60 to 62

A few years ago, government employees, through continuous pressure and lobbying, succeeded in raising the retirement age from 58 to 60 years.

This year again, strong efforts are being made to raise the retirement age from 60 to 62 years (some are trying for 65 years!), thanks to authorities concerned who are succmbing to the pressure of government employees.

On the other hand, every year thousands of graduates and postgraduates are coming out from the portals of the college and thousands of lecturers clear KSET/UGC NET, but fail to get a posting in any college, despite having required qualification.

When contacted, Federation of University and College Teachers' Association of Karnataka (FUCTAK) President Dr N B Sangapur told Deccan Herald that a proposal in this regard has been submitted to the higher Education minister as well as the chief minister, but there is no response from them. "It is left to the decision of the government," he said and added that the retirement age of the lecturers / teachers in universities as well as the university constituent colleges has already been raised to 62 and the retirement age prescribed by the UGC is 65 years.

According to a source, a few teachers from North Karnataka, who are on the verge of retirement or nearing retirement age, are trying their best to bring pressure on the authorities concerned to raise the retirement age and attempts are on to collect a hefty fee from them to be paid as 'gift' to get the work done.

On the other hand, according to a senior professor, it would be unfair to take steps to increase the retirement age, especially at a time, when thousands of teacher-aspirants are running from pillar to post in search of a job despite having all the required qualifications as well the eligibility (SET/NET).

When contacted, Higher Education Minister Basavaraj Rayareddy's secretary said that the department has not received any communication from any association/organisation in this regard.