SKUAST-TAJ urges LG to enhance retirement age of Professors of erstwhile State Universities

Jammu:  “The erstwhile State of J&K has been reorganized into Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir & Ladakh with the extension of all the benefits to the employees of these UT’s as applicable to the other employees of Central Govt. and Union Territories. Since the age of superannuation of University teachers falling under UT’s Universities as well as Central Universities has already been enhanced to 65 years. As such, the age of superannuation for Professors of erstwhile State universities namely University of Jammu, University of Kashmir, SKUAST-Jammu, SKUAST-Kashmir may also be considered at par with them” said President SKUAST-TAJ Dr. Vikas Sharma in a press statement.

Dr. Vikas informed that the UGC regulations 2010 and UGC regulations 2018 have already fixed the age of superannuation in case of University teachers at 65, which is however awaiting implementation in case of erstwhile State Universities of J&K. From time to time, these four erstwhile State universities namely University of Jammu, University of Kashmir, SKUAST-Jammu, SKUAST-Kashmir has been following the recommendations of the University Grant Commission and other guidelines issued by MHRD with respect to the revision of the pays scales, service conditions and CAS of the teachers, except the retirement age. Dr Sharma furher informed that after the implementation of revised pay scales of teachers as per 6th pay commissions, University has also adopted the Annual Performance Indicators (API) and PBAS based UGC regulations 2010 on ‘Minimum Qualification for appointment of Teachers and other Academic Staff in the Universities and Measures for the Maintenance of Standard in Higher Education’ wherein all the recommendations of the UGC related to appointment and CAS of teachers has been adopted except the conditions related to the age of the superannuation of the teachers as 65 years.

Dr. P.K. Rai Joint Secretary of the association stressed that in order to make the scientific and academic environment more responding and sustainable, the enhancement in retirement age of teachers/scientists from 62 to 65 years will be a positive and contributing step towards taking Indian science to the global platform besides strengthening Indian Economy as well.