Anomalies Of Pay For Iits

IIT 6th Pay Fracas: The Government Now Adds Insult to Injury The Education Minister Mr. Kapil Sibal had remarked, “IITs are good because you get the best students, not necessarily you give them the best.” The Ministry has translated his words into action by giving the IITs and other higher institutes of learning a deal that will, according to the outraged faculty of IITs, “lead to the collapse of IIT system.” Not only has the Goverdhan Mehta Committee Report been disregarded, but in a move to add insult to injury, even the existing hierarchy has been reshuffled so that the status of the IIT faculty now is lower in comparison to their UGC counterparts. For instance, an Assistant Professor at IITs is expected not only to have an excellent academic record with Ph.D. and 3 years experience, but also to have quality publications to his/her credit. Earlier, s/he was at par with UGC readers (currently re-designated as Associate Professor). The report declares that the Assistant Professor would start with a pay of Rs.30000 and an academic grade pay of Rs. 8000 in Pay Band-3. He will continue to remain in Pay Band-3 unless he becomes an Associate Professor. On the other hand an UGC Associate Professor is automatically upgraded to Pay Band-4 with a basic pay of Rs. 37400 and a grade pay of Rs.9000 in three years. Even a Deputy Registrar (old basic of Rs. 12000) who starts in pay band-3 with a grade pay of Rs. 7600 is automatically upgraded after 5 years to pay band-4 with a grade pay of Rs. 8700. For the IIT Associate Professors, the case is even more humiliating. Not in keeping with the Mehta Committee recommendations (Basic of Rs.43000 and AGP of Rs.10000), they have been offered a pay of Rs. 42800 and a reduced academic pay of Rs. 9500 while UGC Professors (who used to draw the same basic of Rs. 16400 in the 5th Pay Scale) draw an academic grade pay of Rs. 10000. The government offers academic grade pay of Rs.10000 to all faculty members/Registrars across academic institutes who were drawing an old basic of Rs. 16400 with the exception of the IIT Associate Professors. This AGP of Rs.9500 is deliberately introduced to deprive Associate Professors of their due perks such as TA, DA, hotel charges, etc., at par with the others. Professors in IIT start in Pay Band-4 with a minimum pay of Rs.48000 and AGP of Rs.10500 which is below Mehta Committee recommendations (AGP Rs.11000). After 6 years the AGP of only 40% Professors will increase to Rs. 12000. However, the other 60% Professors will be deprived of AGP of Rs. 12000. This grossly flouts Mehta Committee recommendation of automatic up-gradation to Rs.12000 for all Professors after 5 years. The comparative table below illustrates these points:

COMPARATIVE TABLES OF PAY-SCALES FOR IIT & UGC FACULTY MEMBERS Existing Basic Pay (in Rs)

New UGC Designation

New UGC Fitment (in Rs)

IIT Designation

Proposed IIT Fitment by InterMinisterial Committee (in Rs) PB 3- 1560039100 AGP 8000 at min pay of 30000

Govardhan Mehta Recommendation (in Rs)

Remarks

12000

Associate Professor

PB 3- 15600-39100 AGP 8000 at min pay of 22320

Assistant Professor

PB 3- 1560039100 AGP 8000 at min pay of 30000

One can go up to Associate Professor without Ph.D. in UGC whereas in IITs one must have Ph.D. with at least 3 years experience and publications to join as Assistant Professor. Up-gradation to PB4 in UGC is automatic after 3 years. In IITs one continues in PB3 unless promoted through a rigorous selection process. IIT Associate Professors who were in the same cadre as UGC Professors now will draw less AGP and lose equal status and perks like AC taxi, hotel and food bills, air travel etc.

12000

Associate Professor after 3 years

PB 4- 37400-67000 AGP 9000 at pay of 37400

Assistant Professor After 3 years

PB 3- 1560039100 AGP 8000 still in PB3 at pay of 33524

PB 4- 3740067000 AGP 9000 at 37400

16400

Professor (direct recruit)

PB 4- 37400-67000 AGP 10000 at pay of 40890

Associate Professor (direct recruit)

PB 4- 3740067000 AGP 9500 at pay of 42800

PB 4- 3740067000 AGP 10000 at 43000

18400

-

-

Professor (direct recruit)

-

-

Senior Professor (only 40%) after 6 years

PB 4- 3740067000 AGP 10500 at pay of 48000 PB 4- 3740067000 AGP 12000 at pay of 48000

PB 4- 3740067000 AGP 11000 at 48000 PB 4- 3740067000 AGP 12000 (after 5 years)

The smooth transition of all Professors to AGP 12000 (recommended by Mehta Committee) is ruled out.

The table clearly points out that great injustice is being done to IIT faculty members. While there are no enhancement of pay, scholastic pay or any other attractive benefits, IIT faculty, at all levels, have to undergo rigorous screening and interview processes, whether they are Assistant Professors, Associate Professors or Professors. It would not be unrealistic to consider the move by the ministry as an attack on the IIT system itself since at the level of Assistant Professors the offer has been made so unattractive that most talented people will join the UGC system with higher pay and better designations. Even at other levels an exodus may start soon. The lofty promise of the Government to make IITs attractive for faculty rings hollow.