Presidency Bill Allays Employee Fears

Updated on: Friday, December 11, 2009

The government college teachers, on the warpath over granting university status to Presidency College, can drop their guns. If they are worried about service conditions, they need not fear.
The Bill paving the way for Presidency University” likely to be tabled on Monday in the state assembly” allows the staff, both teaching and non-teaching, to remain with the new university. They will have to apply afresh, but the Bill assures that no applicant will be turned down on the basis of age.

Those who are on the wrong side of 40 need not lose sleep, either. The reconsideration for existing staff, however, will be done in a phased manner. The Bill states that all existing staff will be transferred to the university, after which they are allowed to weigh their options and take a call.

The Bill has already been circulated among MLAs and will be discussed extensively when it is placed next week on the floor. Observers feel if the interest of the staff remains protected, there is not much ground for resistance.

State higher education minister Sudarshan Roychowdhury, however, refused to comment. I wont say anything till the Bill is tabled in the assembly,â€ he said.

The Bill states that employees of the college will be transferred to the university, drawing the same salary and allowances. Terms and conditions of service will also stay the same. The staff, transferred to the university, are free to exercise their choice.
Those opting to go elsewhere are allowed to remain till eligible candidates are found for these positions. Librarians and non-teaching staff will have the same privilege. In this entire process, benefits like gratuity, pension, provident fund, savings-cum-group insurance schemes will remain the same.

Government College Teachers Association (GCTA) general secretary Shyamal Basak, however, said their opposition was not because of staff consideration. I wont comment on the provisions of the Bill. We are opposing the plan not out of any personal fear. No unitary university can survive long. It doesnt have the infrastructure to deal with the challenges of higher education. Rather than university status, change of syllabus is much more important, he said.

A faculty member of Presidency College, though, felt that there would no longer be much ground to oppose the plan.

Once the Bill is tabled, the provisions will be clear. There is lot of confusion about the matter, the teacher said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Presidency Bill Allays Employee Fears

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