PIONEER NEWS SERVICE/Dehradun
The Provincial Aided College Teachers’ Association (PACA) of Uttarakhand has expressed concerns on behalf of all teachers working in grant-in-aid colleges regarding the stalling of the promotion process for the position of professors over the past 18 months.
Informing about this, the general secretary of PACA, Parshant Singh stated that the delay in promotions has become a major issue for the teachers across the 21 colleges in the state. He said that this prolonged delay primarily results from the ineffective functioning of the department of Higher Education, State government and the Office of the Director of Higher Education in Haldwani (Nainital). They have failed to issue the necessary guidelines, leading to a complete standstill of the promotion process for over a year and a half.
He added that on December 16, 2023, the Directorate issued a letter suspending all Career Advancement Scheme (CAS) promotion processes without providing any valid reason. In July 2024, another letter assured that separate guidelines for promotions to the position of Professor would be released soon. However, to date, no technical or administrative reasons have been clarified, nor have the necessary guidelines been issued and no transparent procedures have been ensured.
Singh emphasised that the Association would like to assert that teachers have, for many years, fulfilled their academic, research and administrative responsibilities with utmost sincerity. Subject-wise panels of experts have been submitted to the universities, but the process remains halted at the government and directorate levels without justification. This situation represents a violation of the constitutional and professional rights of teachers.
He said that this delay has serious consequences, including a detrimental impact on the morale and academic motivation of teachers, adversely affecting their academic creativity and co-curricular engagement. It also violates the legal rights granted under the UGC Regulations 2018, which have been adopted by the State government, mandating time-bound promotions. Additionally, teachers are facing financial losses due to these delays and are being denied national-level academic recognition and representation and others, he said.
Singh said that in light of this situation, PACA demands that the pending guidelines for the position of Professor be issued immediately to resume the CAS promotion process without further delay. Additionally, the unnecessary administrative complications imposed by the Directorate of Higher Education must be eliminated. The authority to nominate the “Director’s Nominee” to the Selection Committee under CAS, which has been centralised by the Department of Higher Education, State government, should be restored to the Directorate of Higher Education, Haldwani, in accordance with previously established rules and procedures.
Singh said that if immediate and decisive action is not taken, teachers may be compelled to initiate a Statewide protest or approach the High Court of Uttarakhand in Nainital to safeguard their legitimate rights.
