JAMMU: The delegation of various university professors’ and units of Akhil Bhartiya Rashtriya Shaikshik Mahasangh of universities of Jammu & Kashmir met National BJP Secretary, Dr. Narinder Singh and putforth their demand for the abolition of review system for enhancing the age of superannuation from 62 to 65 years.
The superannuation age of 62 years of J&K UT university teachers was enhanced to 65 years in 2023 with the provision of review by a committee under the chairmanship of Chief Secretary and members- Vice-Chancellor of the concerned university, administrative secretary (Higher Education Department, J&K government), Co-opted member from Finance/Law Department (government of Jammu & Kashmir) and Special Secretary/Additional Secretary (Higher Education Department, J&K government) for initial year followed by subsequent reviews for grant of further yearly enhancement by the Vice-chancellor of the respective universities. The process of review has created a system of sycophancy resulting in biased pick and choose system at initial stage as well as subsequent stages of the review. This has created anguish and frustration amongst the professor fraternity.
However, Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University (SMVDU) enhanced the retirement age of teachers to 65 years in 2018 without any review and riders. Therefore, there is discrimination within the J&K universities. Further, the Central Universities in Jammu & Kashmir have 65 years as age of superannuation without any review/riders. This has not only created discrepancy with respect to age of superannuation between UT and central universities existing within the Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir.
The UGC has set the retirement age limit of university teachers at 65 years. Both the sixth and seventh pay commission enunciated superannuation age of sixty-five years uniformly throughout the country to avoid any discrimination. The UGC Regulations 2010 and Regulations on Minimum Qualifications for Appointment of Teachers and Other Academic Staff in Universities 2018 also stressed to maintain the sixty-five years as age of superannuation for University teachers.
The BJP National Secretary pressed for abolishing the rider of review for providing enhancement in age of superannuation and thus bringing uniformity in superannuation age of all the universities of J&K Union Territory.
