Shillong, Jun 26: The Voice of the People Party (VPP) has urged the Meghalaya government to extend UGC pay scales to college teachers serving in government-sanctioned in deficit colleges in the State.
In a letter to Education Minister Lahkmen Rymbui today, the VPP said that the government should protect UGC pay scales for eligible teachers in deficit colleges. It also said that administrative decisions are “gradually undermining the very framework upon which higher education in Meghalaya has been built.”
Referring to the repeated declarations by the MDA government to make education a top priority, the VPP said “the situation on the ground appears to suggest the opposite”.
Also read: Meghalaya Police Academy, RAWA Hold Anti-Drug Awareness Programme in Umsning
The party reminded that the deficit grant-in-aid system has enabled educational institutions to reach remote areas of Meghalaya and provided education opportunity to thousands of students who would otherwise have been deprived of higher education, the VPP said, “Any attempt to weaken, dilute, or gradually phase out this system would have serious consequences for the future of education in the State.”
Raising concern over denial of UGC pay scales to some teachers serving in government-sanctioned posts in deficit colleges, the party said the extension of UGC pay scales to college teachers began in 1975 and it continued for nearly 50 years. It also said that denial of such pay scales would discourage deserving scholars from the State from pursuing careers in higher education.
The VPP also raised the issue of delay in payment of Dearness Allowance to teachers drawing salaries as per UGC pay scales.
“While the Central government has already revised the DA to 60 per cent, eligible teachers in Meghalaya are reportedly yet to receive even the earlier revised rate of 58 per cent. Such delays impose unnecessary financial hardship on teachers and create uncertainty within the education sector,” the party said.
Also watch
