Govt-GU now clash over retiring age

Sandesh Prabhudesai
30 November 2001  

Goa government and the state’s sole Goa University are on the course of collision once again, this time on the issue of reducing retirement age of college and university teachers by two years.

Following opposition from the university authorities as well as University and College Teachers’ Association of Goa to reduce the retirement age to 58, the high court has also stayed the government decision, pending hearing.

In a surprise move, the state authorities have however taken a tough stand, not to release salary grants to any college teacher, after they complete 58 years. The issue has come to the fore as 14 teachers, including three principals, are completing 58 this month.

"No matter whether they work till 70, we will not release salary grant to anybody after 58", states chief minister Manohar Parrikar. He has also decided to retire all teachers in the government-run colleges at the age of 58.

Goa has 41 colleges, 10 out of which are run by the state while others are either aided colleges or self-financing private ventures, especially in professional streams, besides a full-fledged university.

"The general circular issued by the government in September, specifying retirement age for different class of employees is not applicable to privately run colleges since they are not government servants", states Dr B S Sonde, the vice chancellor.

The university’s academic council and executive council have thus debated over the issue four times since February – the last one on 24 November, communicating to the government through chancellor (the Governor) that they would maintain status quo of 60 years.

However, since the high court has now stayed the retirement age to 58, Parrikar has decided to stop their salary grants. "The court has not told me to pay them from the state treasury even after 58. Let the private managements pay them if they want to retain them", he states.

As the state is not empowered to decide the retirement age for college teachers but the authorities like the UGC, the local BJP government has been using its financial power of salary grants to compel the university and private managements to bow down.

The government has also made the stand clear to the high court, though the authorities are told to file a detailed reply to the petition by 4 December. "Let the court now decide the issue once and for all", states Radhika Nayak, the UCTAG president.

This is a second instance of Parrikar directly clashing with the university, after reducing financial grants to the apex educational authority in the state, alleging irregularities. Even after probing into financial mismanagement, Parrikar has not released the findings till date.

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