7.5 lakh university and college teachers to receive benefits under 7th Pay Commission

The salaries of university and college teachers are set to increase in the range of Rs 10,400 to Rs 49,800.

A decision that is going to benefit nearly eight lakh teachers and other academic equivalent staff in higher educational institutions under the purview of the University Grants Commission and in centrally funded technical institutions, the Union Cabinet approved the revision of pay scales based on the recommendations of the Seventh Central Pay Commission for Central Government employees on Wednesday.

Post the Cabinet meeting, HRD minister Prakash Javadekar said that the government extended the benefits of the Seventh Pay Commission for the teaching faculty of central and state universities and aided colleges.

"The move will benefit 7.58 lakh professors, assistant professors and others," said Javadekar, adding that the hike would be anywhere between Rs 10,000 and Rs 50,000.

"This amounts to an increase of around 22-28 per cent," Javadekar said.

The approved pay scales will be applicable from January 1, 2016 and the revision will register an entry pay growth in the range of 22% to 28%. Javadekar said that the measured proposed in the revised pay structure are expected to improve quality of higher education and also attract and retain talent. The annual central financial liability on account of this measure would be about Rs 9,800 crore.

Teachers and equivalent academic staff in the 106 universities/ colleges which are funded by the UGC/ MHRD, 329 universities which are funded by state governments and 12,912 government and private aided colleges affiliated to public universities are set to benefit from this pay revision.

In addition, the revised pay package will cover teachers of 119 centrally funded technical institutions, viz., IITs, IISc, IIMs, IISERs, IIITs, NITIE, etc.

For the state government funded institutions, the revised pay scales will require adoption by the respective governments. The Central government will bear the additional burden of the states on account of revision of pay scales.

Source:-The Times of India