A teachers’ union in Maharashtra demanded the University Grants Commission (UGC) to fill the vacant teaching positions in colleges and universities before implementation of 7 th pay revision. They revealed that only 50% of vacancies are allowed to be filled by the state government. The posts are based on the 1998 staff justification and hence the number of posts required to be filled is much more than 50%.
They pointed out that the government is trying to fill the vacancies on the contractual or clock-hour basis. Most of the private colleges appoint teachers on contractual basis which is affecting the quality of higher education. They also mentioned that there has been a constant delay in approving rosters of institutions which is affecting timely and regular recruitment as well as proper implementation of reservation policy. They expressed their concern over the probation period in universities has been extending to two years.
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The teachers’ union has also demanded to disperse arrears in one installment while implementing the 7 th pay commission. They also stated that the teachers who have been working on contractual basis for more than two years must be absorbed as regular faculty through a statutory procedure.
They indicated that Centre has to bear the entire burden of implementing 7 th Pay Commission. They pointed that the 6 th Pay Commission did not solve the problems of teachers and instead caused discrimination due to the decisions of state government in the matters relating to arrears, pension, gratuity CAS benefits and PhD increments for those who were appointed during 1991-2000.