All Bengal Principals’ Council

OFFICE: ACHARYAGIRISHCHANDRABOSECOLLEGE (Formerly BangabasiCollege of Commerce)

35, Rajkumar Chakraborty Sarani (Scott Lane) * Kolkata – 700009

Phone: 2350-1526 / 2350-2864

Regn. No: S/56825 Dt. 13.11.1987

Date: 9.10.2009

To

The Director of Public Instruction

Education Directorate

Government of West Bengal

Bikash Bhawan, SaltLake

Kolkata - 700091

Sub: UGC Regulation 2009 about pay revision of teachers – Position of Principals

Dear Sir,

I would like to draw your kind attention to recent UGC regulation and MHRD notification regarding pay revision of university and college teachers including principals all over the country. Salient features are:

  • In absolute term, there has been satisfactory increase in gross pay covering all the cadres/posts in university and colleges.
  • Initiatives have been taken to attract best of brains in academic field – mainly in science, technology and management by way of adequate financial incentive – which is praiseworthy.
  • New initiatives like allowing teachers to engage in consultancy services have been proposed.

Prior to 2006, since the formation of UGC, in all pay related orders, Principal’s pay was higher than that of a serving teacher in a college. This was true irrespective of the age of principal and that of a teacher. Post of principal, so important for academic administration and in recognition of the 24 X 7 service rendered by him, bearing insurmountable responsibility and also risk some times, was given due importance by suitably fixing their pay aboveteachers in the college. In 1996 UGC pay scale, highest point of for a teacher was Rs. 18,300 and the newly appointed principal’s minimum initial pay was suitably fixed not below Rs. 17,300. After 3 years, Principals could surpass the pay drawn by the senior most teachers of the college. But in 1996 UGC scale, there were the problems of stagnation both for teachers and principals after reaching highest point of pay scale. . In 2006 UGC pay scale, problem of stagnation has been suitably addressed by expanding the range of pay band. In the new 2006 UGC scale, when a teacher joins as principal, his initial pay to be fixed not below Rs. 43,000 in the pay band of Rs. 37,400 – Rs. 67,000. Senior teacher in the college in Associate Professors post will also be in the same pay band. A teacher after 15 years of service will be in the Associate Professor post and eligible to apply for the post of principal. Consideringthat some onejoining as assistant professorat the age of 26 years, after rendering 15 years of service, at the age of 41 years will be eligible for principal’s post. If he becomes principal, his initial pay shall be fixed not below Rs. 43,000. But, if he does not opt to be a principal, his pay at the age of 41 years (after 15 years of service) will be fixed at Rs. 37,400. After giving 3% compounding increments for 5 years, at the age of 46 years,his pay will be Rs.43,390.Hence, difference between initial pay of a principal and an associate professor is only of 5 increments. So, a teacher with 5 years or more senior than the principal of the college will continue to get more pay than the principal. We appreciate higher pay of a teacher and removal of stagnation in pay. But we are concerned about the fact that post like principal, who is the head of the institution at 24X 7 service, bearing insurmountable responsibility and risk to be adequately financially compensated commensurate to his position, honour and responsibility, so that, best of academic brains with administrative acumen feel interested to lead an institution of higher studies. If a teacher finds that with 5 years of service in the post of Associate Professor could fetch him pay more than that of a principal, he would not be interested to bear the additional responsibility of the head of the institution. New UGC 2006 pay scale will lead to such a scenario in the year 2011 / 2012, when no Associate Professor will feel the urge to become a Principal. This will be true all over the country.

In view of the above scenario, I request you to take up the matter with appropriate authority. Our concrete proposal is :

  1. Amend Special Allowance of Rs 2,000 / Rs. 3,000 uniformly as Special Pay of Rs. 5,000 pm
  2. Publication of fresh fitment table for principals in view of latest UGC regulation (minimum fixation not below Rs. 43,000 as per latest UGC regulation) removing the bunching effect in point to point fixation so that senior principals who were staggering at Rs. 22,400 are not deprived and can get adequate benefit of the revised pay scale.
  3. AGP of Rs. 10,000 to be increased to Rs. 12,000, if not at initial stage, definitely after 10 years of service as principal in line with directly recruited professors.
  4. Suitable Car Allowance and Telephone Allowance for principals.
  5. To arrange for benefit of carrying forward of accumulated earned leave for principals and teachers with retrospective effect so that they are not deprived of the benefit of encashment of earned leave at the time retirement.

Soliciting a favourable action from your end.

Sincerely yours,

( ANJAN SENGUPTA)

General Secretary

All Bengal Principals’ Council

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