MANGALORE: A high-level meeting of legislators, officials of Department of Collegiate Education and representatives of college teachers presided over by D.H. Shankaramurthy, Minister for Higher Education, in Bangalore on Monday has resolved to constitute a higher education council, according to official sources.

Government authorities at the meeting agreed to initiate measures to form the council soon, sources told The Hindu on Tuesday. It was likely to replace the Inter-University Board (IUB), the powers of which would be vested with the council. The State Task Force on Higher Education in its report to the Government in 2004 had recommended setting up of the council, sources said.

The meeting was attended by representatives of Federation of University and College Teachers' Associations in Karnataka, MLCs representing teachers' and graduates' constituencies, and the Principal Secretary (Higher Education).

A. M. Narahari, president of the federation, who participated in the meeting, told The Hindu that the government authorities at the meeting had agreed to recruit teachers on a regular basis in colleges, and to regularise part-time teachers recruited in government and government-aided private colleges between 1993 and 1995.

UGC guidelines

They had also agreed to make placements according to the University Grants Commission (UGC) guidelines from their dates of appointment. But it would be given only to those teachers who have completed refresher and orientation courses, he said. A teacher would get the first placement as senior grade lecturer in the sixth year from the date of appointment.

The second placement as selection grade lecturer would be given in the eleventh year from the date of appointment.

The basic pay of teachers would differ in each placement.

For instance, the basic pay for a lecturer would be Rs. 8,000. In senior grade, it would be Rs. 10,000 and in selection grade Rs. 12,000, he added.

Prof. Narahari said the Government had agreed to give UGC pay scales to stop-gap lecturers recruited before 1992 based on a court ruling, and to pay interim relief to college teachers.

Teachers were left out when interim relief was announced for government employees sometime ago, he said.

The meeting had agreed to give placements to physical education directors and librarians according to UGC guidelines.

They would get the first placement in the eighth year from the date of appointment and the second after eight years. It would be called the "eight plus eight" scheme. But the norms would differ for those who have completed their Ph.D, he said.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail