JAMMU: The delegation of Akhil Bharatiya Rashtriya Shaikshik Mahasangh (ABRSM) today held a detailed meeting with UGC Chairman Professor M Jagadesh Kumar regarding various pending problems of teachers.
Giving information in this regard, Additional General Secretary of ABRSM Professor Narayan Lal Gupta told that in the meeting that lasted for more than 2 hours, Mahasangh presented the ground realities and demanded immediate solution of problems like uniform implementation of UGC Regulation 2018 across the country, removal of anomalies in the regulation by making the report of the anomaly redressal committee public and developing proper infrastructure in higher education institutions for effective implementation of National Education Policy and filling up the vacant posts on priority.
Vice President of the ABRSM, Professor Pragnesh Shah said that objections were raised on the enforcement of Common University Act by some state governments contrary to the provisions of National Education Policy and collection of fees by some institutions for the Faculty Development Program contrary to the provisions of UGC. ABRSM demanded UGC to take effective action in this regard. Along with this, the need to exempt serving teachers from PhD course work or to provide paid leave for this and to reserve sufficient number of PhD seats for them was also presented before the UGC Chairman with facts.
Professor Geeta Bhatt, Secretary of the ABRSM told that the problems related to counting of experience on the promoted post under the Career Advancement Scheme From the eligibility date, extending the tenure of college Principals till retirement, clarifying the term 'active service' in clause 6.3 of the UGC Regulations, issuing clarification about the misleading interpretation of the UGC notice dated 3 March 23 by some universities regarding promotion of university teachers from Associate Professor to Professor, and restoring the system of major and minor research projects were discussed in depth.
Joint Secretary of the ABRSM, Dr Pradeep Khedkar stated that Mahasangh strongly demanded to provide travel and daily allowances for refresher/orientation courses etc. under the Faculty Development Program, to restart the system of paid leave for PhD and travel grant for presenting research work in national/international research seminars, to count post-doctoral research for promotion in career advancement, to recognize graduate colleges as research centers for PhD and to make the service conditions of other academic staff like librarian, physical education director etc. at par with that of teachers.
ABRSM 's organisation secretary Mahendra Kapoor, co-organization Secretary G Laxman, senior vice president Mahendra Kumar and UGC joint secretary N Gopkumar were also present in the meeting.