Chandigarh, (Gurpreet) The Punjab Cabinet led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Friday gave approval to implement University Grant Commission’s (UGC) pay scale as per seventh pay commission to the teachers of the Universities, Government Colleges and Government Aided Private Colleges.
Divulging the details a spokesperson of the Chief Minister’s Office said that acceding to a long pending demand of the Teachers and Equivalent Cadres in Universities and Colleges in the state, the Cabinet gave nod to revise their pay scales with effect from January 15, 2016, to be implemented from October 1, 2022. This decision will benefit all the Teachers and other employees working in the equivalent cadre in state Universities (including Panjab University), Government Colleges and Government Aided Private Colleges.
GO AHEAD TO GOVERNMENT COLLEGES FOR APPOINTING VISITING RESOURCE PERSONS
Likewise, in another significant decision aimed at overcoming the acute shortage of teaching faculty in the colleges, the Cabinet also gave go ahead to allow Government Colleges for appointing visiting resource persons from amongst retired faculty of Colleges and Universities, who are qualified as per UGC/University norms or who have University approval as teacher in concerned subject area. The visiting resource persons will be hired from amongst retired faculty members up to the age of 70 years and will be paid an honorarium per session, subject to the maximum of Rs. 30, 000/- per month. This arrangement will be made till the process of regular recruitment against the vacant posts is completed.
GREEN SIGNAL TO ENHANCE THE REMUNERATIONS OF THE GUEST FACULTY WORKING IN THE GOVERNMENT COLLEGES
In another initiative aimed at improving the standards of higher education, the Cabinet also gave approval to enhance the remunerations of the Guest faculty working in the Government Colleges of state to a minimum of Rs. 33600/- per month for both qualified and unqualified teachers. They will be entitled to enhancement in their remuneration based on length of service and slabs as provided in the notification. It has also been mandated that all unqualified Guest and part-time faculty working in the Government colleges of the state must meet the UGC requirements within two years of the notification failing which they will not be entitled to any enhancement in remuneration.
APPROVES CREATION 1020 POSTS AT UPCOMING SANT ATTAR SINGH STATE INSTITUTE OF MEDICAL SCIENCES, MASTUANA SAHIB, SANGRUR
In a step aimed at imparting quality health services to people on one hand and providing employment opportunities to youth on other, the Cabinet approved the creation, fixation of pay scales and filling up of 1020 posts at the upcoming Sant Attar Singh State Institute of Medical Sciences, Mastuana Sahib, Sangrur. These 1020 posts include 193 posts of faculty, 427 of paramedical staff and 400 other posts. Once the institute is functional at Sangrur, 100 seats will be available in it for the MBBS course due to which these posts have been created to provide quality medical education to youth.
This will serve the twin motive of providing better and quality health facilities to the patients in the state of Punjab on one hand and giving access to the students for pursuing a career in the medical field on the other. The posts for medical faculty in this institute will be filled up as per the educational qualifications, experience and approved criteria of National Medical Council (NMC). The recruitment of para-medical staff and class-4 employees of this institution will be done as per the existing rules of the Department of Health and Family Welfare and the Punjab State (Class-IV) Service Rules, 1963 respectively.
SCRAPS GUARDIANS OF GOVERNANCE (GOG) SCHEME
Considering the unsatisfactory performance of previous years in monitoring the assigned schemes of few Departments, the Cabinet also decided to do away with the Guardians of Governance Scheme in the state in larger public interest. The scheme was launched in the year 2017 by the Punjab Government with the objective of monitoring schemes of few Departments at the grass root level in an efficient and effective manner. But, as the basic purpose of the scheme has been defeated, so the Guardians of Governance (GOG) Scheme has been closed with immediate effect.
The Cabinet also gave green signal to Annual Administrative Report of the Vigilance Bureau, Punjab for the year 2021.