HRD forms panel to implement 7th pay commission in educational institutions

Development comes against backdrop of teachers' associations threatening to strike

The Human Resource Development (HRD) Ministry has formed a committee to review the recommendations made by a UGC panel on implementation of the seventh pay commission in educational institutions.

The development comes against the backdrop of teachers' associations of various universities threatening to go on strike over the "delay" in implantation after the UGC panel submitted its report earlier this year.

"Seventh Pay Review committee for implementing the recommendations (of the 7th pay commission) in educational institutions, universities and colleges has submitted its report to the Ministry. I have constituted a committee headed by Higher education secretary to study them," Union HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar told reporters.

The committee will have officials from Finance Ministry and other relevant offices and it will submit its final recommendations which will go to Cabinet, he added.

Javadekar urged the teachers to refrain from going to strike in view of the examination time and to avoid any disruption in the academic functioning of the varsities.

"I appeal to everyone not to stage any protests as exams are around the corner and the Ministry will ensure that justice is done to everyone.

"Those who had some doubts whether the government is moving in this direction, let me dispel their doubts that we have already started the action and soon they will get good news," he added.

The pay review committee of the University Grants Commission (UGC), which was formed last year and was headed by it member VS Chauhan, had recommended scrapping ad-hoc and temporary appointments of teachers across universities.

The panel had also suggested that pay of teachers should be in accordance with the seventh central pay commission, which means the overall salary of teachers would also go up if the suggestion is accepted by the (HRD) ministry.

Linking grants to universities to the vacant posts filled by them was also among the recommendations made by the committee.