IIT-B faculty take mass casual leave

As a mark of protest “against the humiliation meted out by government” through the 6th pay commission, IIT Bombay faculty went on mass casual leave on Monday for the first time in the institute’s history. A protest note was signed under a banner that said “dignity at stake”. Faculty also participated in a silent procession around the campus.

Calling the Central government’s notification totally unacceptable, faculty from across the IITs also submitted a memorandum of their demands to the Ministry of Human Resource & Development (MHRD). A major demand is to put assistant professors in pay band 4 with a minimum pay of Rs37,000, said Kishore Chatterjee of IIT-B faculty forum.

For entry level positions, the HRD notification recommends about 10% of the faculty to consist of temporary lecturers who will earn gross salary of just over Rs26,000 monthly.
“Such remuneration will induce brilliant young academicians to explore more remunerative opportunities and not consider joining IITs,” said B Seth, president of IIT-B Faculty Forum.

“The 6th pay has also put a cap on how many senior professors  can be there at IITs which is 40%. We want it to be removed,” said Chatterjee.

IIT faculty have given the government an ultimatum of September 4 to come out with a new notification, failing which a delegation from each IIT will fast at IIT Delhi on Teachers’ Day.