New Delhi: Education Ministers of several
states Friday expressed their reservations against raising the
retirement age of college and university teachers to 65 and
demanded the superannuation issue be delinked from the
composite package offered by the Centre to the states.
The Sixth Pay Revision for university and college
teachers says the retirement age should be raised from 60 to
65.
The HRD Ministry had asked state governments to implement
the revised pay package and said it would provide 80 per cent
of the additional cost for a specific period to be borne by
them for implementing the package.
The ministers, however, said since education is on the
concurrent list, they should not be forced to implement the
decision to raise the superannuation age as part of the
package.
"We should have a system to reclaim the best teachers
but superannuation issue should be left to the state as it is
on the concurrent list," said Kerala Education Minister M.A.
Baby, a view seconded by Uttar Pradesh Education Minister
Rakesh Dhar Tripathi.
Baby said a consensus has to be built up before arriving
at such a decision.
Raising her objection, Haryana Education Minister Geeta
Bhukkal said "similar demands would be raised by employees of
other sectors if such a decision is implemented."
When Rajasthan Education Minister raised fears about
the fate of the younger generation should such a move is
implemented, HRD Minister Kapil Sibal objected to it saying
"we would need 32,000 colleges by 2020. Therefore, there
should not be any apprehension about its impact on the
younger generation."
Sibal said raising the retirement age was taken to
popularise the teaching profession. "I have taken your
concerns (the ministers) into account and would convey them to
the government," he said.
Madhya Pradesh is the only state which has raised the
retirement age to 65.
West Bengal Education Sudarshan Roychaudhury said the
superannuation issue should not be linked with the 80 per cent
reimbursement provided by the Centre to the states.
PTI
First Published: Friday, June 18, 2010, 23:49