PIONEER NEWS SERVICE/Dehradun
The Provincial Aided College Association (PACA), the association of the teachers of the aided colleges of the State, has demanded an immediate revision of remuneration rates for examination duties and the implementation of a transparent payment mechanism in the interest of higher education faculty.
Flagging concerns over these issues, the general secretary, PACA, Parshant Singh said that Hemvati Nandan Bahuguna Garhwal (Central) University, along with other regional institutions such as Srinagar-based Sridev Suman Uttarakhand University, New Tehri; Kumaun University, Nainital and Soban Singh Jeena University, Almora, have not revised their remuneration rates for examination tasks—such as question paper setting and evaluation—for the last 15 years. “These rates have remained unchanged despite significant inflation and increasing technical requirements,” he said.
Singh stated lamentingly that this undermines the value of the pains the teachers take and their expertise. “Further, it adversely affects the overall work culture within the universities located across Uttarakhand. We are all the more concerned over delayed payment for these tasks, which often take more than a year, and in many cases, payments are not made at all,” he said.
Stating that the current remuneration rates are based on the Sixth Pay Commission while it is the time for the Eighth Pay Commission implementation, he said that this amounts to injustice to and discrimination against such teachers.
Singh further noted that tasks such as evaluation, moderation, question paper preparation, digital communication, privacy maintenance and record-keeping have become highly technical, sensitive and time-consuming. “We demand an update to the examination remuneration rates in accordance with the Eighth Pay Commission. Besides, there must be a maximum payment deadline of 90 days for examination work and an online portal-based payment tracking system should be introduced,” he said, adding warningly that if their demands remain unaddressed, they would be compelled to adopt a non-cooperative stance toward examination work.
