Sibal asks IIT professors to re-think on hunger strike

Updated on: Wednesday, September 23, 2009

New Delhi: Maintaining that government would have to regulate the pay structure of IITs, HRD Minister Kapil Sibal today said it was not proper for professors of the elite institutions to resort to hunger strike and asked them to 'rethink' on their planned agitation on Thursday.

'We always dream that the IITs should produce Nobel Laureates. We do not expect our prospective Nobel Laureates to go on hunger strike. They should be hungry for knowledge,' he told reporters here.

The Minister said he did not think that it was right for the IIT professors to take such a step. 'They should rethink,' he said expressing hope that they would not resort to such an action.

Sibal said the government has 'never interfered' with the autonomy of IITs 'but the pay system has to be regulated because we are 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.'

Around 1,500 professors and other faculty members at 13 IITs will go on a hunger strike on Thursday. They have given an ultimatum to the government to resolve by October 1 the 'anomalies' in the pay structure.

The IIT Faculty Federation said there will be no disruption in 13 IITs across the country on that day. The structure puts restrictions on promotions and lacked performance-based incentives, it said.

The federation has demanded that the HRD ministry officials and IIT Directors should have a meeting with it to find a solution to the issue. Sibal made known his disapproval over the strike threat by the faculty. 'We are not averse to meeting anybody. But I am deeply pained by the public outcry and going to press. We are averse to the procedure they have adopted. They cannot go on a hunger strike and ask for a meeting,' Sibal said.

The minister came out in defence of the new pay structure, saying it was 'just and legitimate'

On the issue of flexibility in the cadre system as demanded by the IIT faculty, Sibal said, 'in the name of flexibility they do not want any regulation and eligibility criteria (in appointment and promotion of faculties). But we have to have eligibility conditions to ensure quality'.

He justified the eligibility condition that the Ph.D holders with first division degree at base level course should be recruited as assistant professors.

'The faculty people want that people having second class at base level course should be given assistant professorship. This does not happen in any reputed institution in the world

Sibal asks IIT professors to re-think on hunger strike

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