Associations representing teachers met the Higher Education Secretary D. Karthikeyan on Monday to put forth their demands.
The teachers have been demanding implementation of Career Advancement Scheme that has been pending for over a decade for government and aided college teachers.
Representatives of Association of University Teachers said they discussed their predicament with the official. “Some teachers appointed in 2006 have either retired or on the verge of retirement but have not received even one promotion,” said N. Pasupathi, former president.
“We had been repeatedly raising the issue of CAS, which has been provided to faculty in engineering colleges but not to aided and government college teachers. He has sought time till February-end,” Mr. Pasupathi added.
According to Mr. Pasupathi, the teachers’ bodies had placed three demands to the Secretary: all promotions under the CAS should be given immediately; all arrears should be paid within two to three months. “We have appealed to the government to not delay the promotions any more as it is destroying the morale of the cadre. We have not asked relaxation in the conditions laid down by the University Grants Commission to implement CAS though,” he added.
Over 7,000 teachers are awaiting CAS benefits as the government has been revising and modifying the rules, the teachers rued. “Promotions are not given on the basis of retirement of existing faculty. If they fulfil the required conditions they must be promoted,” said P. Thirunavukkarasar, president.
The Higher Education Secretary has assured them that he would take it forward to the government.
The forum said the teachers had been foregoing their monetary benefit till date but now wanted the government to provide the arrears by creating a system to pay the dues.
