Neeraj Rohmetra
Jammu, Feb 27: State Finance Department will soon be submitting a memo to the General Administration Department (GAD) for further to be taken up in the State Cabinet proposal for granting approval for adoption of the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) Revised Pay Scales and Career Advancement Rules to the faculty members of Government College of Engineering and Technology (GCET).
Reliable sources told EXCELSIOR that after the taking over of new Minister of Higher Education, rules demanded that the proposal be again signed by the new incumbent. “The Minister has put his assent on the proposal and the same has been forwarded to the Finance Department so that it can be sent again to Cabinet after necessary clearances”.
Corroborating, Minister for Higher Education, Mohammad Akbar Lone stated that the formal proposal had been forwarded to the Finance Department for grant of Revised Pay Scales in favour of faculty member of GCET.
“The Finance Department may take few days for giving the necessary clearances to the proposal and subsequently it shall be send to the Cabinet for its consideration”, he added.
“I had personally visited the campus of GCET to have detailed interaction with the faculty and also took stock of its functioning and facilities available for the students”, said Mr Lone adding, “I was surprised to see that the campus and administrative block of the College were miles apart. I have given specific directions that the Administrative Block be shifted to the main campus so that the Head of Departments (HoDs), officials and other faculty are available to the students”.
“I have categorically told the College administration that funds would not be allowed to come in way of functioning of the institution. Even the examination hall, which is presently in city will be shifted to the main campus for benefit of students”, he said.
He further added that proper hostel facilities would also be provided to students studying in the institution.
On August 30, 2012 also, the Finance Department had submitted a memo before the Cabinet for grant of the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) Revised Pay Scales and Career Advancement Rules to the faculty members of Government College of Engineering and Technology (GCET).
However, the biggest dilemma before the Cabinet was that despite the fact that the Government College was established in the year 1994 under AICTE norms vide Notification No.F-18-1/93-AICTE/910 dated April 30, 1993, no service and promotion rules had been framed for the faculty members till date.
Sources added, “for this reason, the Cabinet had no choice but to defer the proposal of the Finance Department for want of more information and seek clarifications regarding the Service Rules of the faculty. While the Government was willing to grant the new Revised Scales as per the 6th Pay Commission, there were virtually no rules which could have formed the basis for extending these emoluments”.
Sources stated that the teaching faculty of the Institute had been suffering for the past several years due to the absence of several rules. “Even after having M Tech/ Ph Ds in technical branches of engineering, they are still designated as Lecturers and getting 5th Pay Commission grades, whereas the teaching faculty of other Degree Colleges of the State are designated as Assistant Professor and enjoying 6th Pay Commission grades since 2006”, sources asserted. All the faculty members stand selected by autonomous J&K Public Service Commission in the year 1995, 2001, 2007, 2009 and 2010.
“The faculty is also suffering from stagnation due to the absence of promotional policy as per AICTE norms, but the situation will change after the Cabinet grants its approval to the fresh proposal”, sources stated.
Sources emphasized that since the 6th Central Pay Commission recommendations have already been implemented in respect of Medical Colleges, the Government after detailed exercise felt it appropriate to promulgate the revised pay rules for the Government College of Engineering and Technology.
From the date of commencement of Jammu College of Engineering and Technology (Adoption of AICTE Revised Pay Scales), Rules, 2012, the hierarchical/ organizational structure of the teaching faculty/ non-teaching person of the College will get revised on the pattern of AICTE, sources said, adding the revised hierarchy of the faculty will be adopted in the College subject to such recruitment, promotion and selection processes as have been prescribed for the purpose by the Ministry of Human Resource and Development (MHRD).
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