HRD minister says IIT faculty is well-paid, won’t roll back recruitment policy.
Human resource development (HRD) minister Kapil Sibal has refused to budge on the IITs demand for “sorting out anomalies” in their pay structure and “greater autonomy” and said that talking about hunger strike doesn’t befit those associated with institutes of excellence.
“We do not expect our prospective Nobel Laureates to go on hunger strike. They should be hungry for knowledge instead,” the minister said at a press conference called to explain the government’s position.
Around 1,500 professors and other faculty members at the 13 IITs have announced they will go on a hunger strike from Thursday. The protestors, who have given the government an ultimatum to sort out the matter by October 1, say the present pay structure restricts promotions and lacks performance-based incentives. The IIT faculty federation has demanded the setting up of a three-member panel to consider their demands.
The minister on Tuesday said that IIT faculty have no reason to complain because they are getting the best pay package among institutes in India, “We haven’t followed the principle of austerity in their (IITs faculty) salaries. We wish we could give them Rs8 lakh per month instead of Rs80,000. But India is a poor country and we are going through drought and recession. Still we are giving them the best.”
He clarified that the government has “never interfered” with the autonomy of IITs but their pay system has to be regulated because the ministry is answerable to Parliament. “So we have to have some eligibility condition for entry and promotion in faculty. They are opposed to eligibility. This is unfair,” Sibal said.
The teachers have demanded that a first division should not be compulsory for Ph.D holders to join teaching; junior teachers should be allowed to be hired directly instead of a three-year contract; and the time taken for an assistant professor to be promoted as associate professor should be reduced.
“I am trying to build excellence and have always supported merit. We cannot possibly dilute quality by allowing less qualified persons join the best institutions. We are trying to assist them to recruit quality people. Giving autonomy doesn’t mean no regulation. And regulation doesn’t mean interference. All we are asking is a well-qualified person to teach our students. I have always espoused the cause of excellence but these IITs are now goading IIMs to come with them,” Sibal said.
The minister said IITs should produce Nobel laureates if they all demands to be met. “We’ve always dreamt about the IITs producing Nobel laureates. We hope and pray they do so, only then they will get everything on a platter,” Sibal said.
IISc opts out of strike
The Indian Institute of Science in Bangalore has decided to opt out of the proposed hunger strike called by the IITs on September 24.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}