IIT 6th Pay Fracas: The Government Now Adds Insult to Injury

The Education Minister Mr. Kapil Sibal had remarked, “IITs are good because you get the
best students, not necessarily you give them the best.” The Ministry has translated his
words into action by giving the IITs and other higher institutes of learning a deal that will,
according to the outraged faculty of IITs, “lead to the collapse of IIT system.” Not only has
the Goverdhan Mehta Committee Report been disregarded, but in a move to add insult to
injury, even the existing hierarchy has been reshuffled so that the status of the IIT faculty
now is lower in comparison to their UGC counterparts.

For instance, an Assistant Professor at IITs is expected not only to have an excellent
academic record with Ph.D. and 3 years experience, but also to have quality publications
to his/her credit. Earlier, s/he was at par with UGC readers (currently re-designated as
Associate Professor). The report declares that the Assistant Professor would start with a
pay of Rs.30000 and an academic grade pay of Rs. 8000 in Pay Band-3. He will continue
to remain in Pay Band-3 unless he becomes an Associate Professor. On the other hand
an UGC Associate Professor is automatically upgraded to Pay Band-4 with a basic pay of
Rs. 37400 and a grade pay of Rs.9000 in three years. Even a Deputy Registrar (old basic
of Rs. 12000) who starts in pay band-3 with a grade pay of Rs. 7600 is automatically
upgraded after 5 years to pay band-4 with a grade pay of Rs. 8700.

For the IIT Associate Professors, the case is even more humiliating. Not in keeping with
the Mehta Committee recommendations (Basic of Rs.43000 and AGP of Rs.10000), they
have been offered a pay of Rs. 42800 and a reduced academic pay of Rs. 9500 while
UGC Professors (who used to draw the same basic of Rs. 16400 in the 5th Pay Scale)
draw an academic grade pay of Rs. 10000. The government offers academic grade pay
of Rs.10000 to all faculty members/Registrars across academic institutes who were
drawing an old basic of Rs. 16400 with the exception of the IIT Associate Professors. This
AGP of Rs.9500 is deliberately introduced to deprive Associate Professors of their due
perks such as TA, DA, hotel charges, etc., at par with the others.

Professors in IIT start in Pay Band-4 with a minimum pay of Rs.48000 and AGP of
Rs.10500 which is below Mehta Committee recommendations (AGP Rs.11000). After 6
years the AGP of only 40% Professors will increase to Rs. 12000. However, the other
60% Professors will be deprived of AGP of Rs. 12000. This grossly flouts Mehta
Committee recommendation of automatic up-gradation to Rs.12000 for all Professors
after 5 years.

The comparative table below illustrates these points:

 COMPARATIVE TABLES OF PAY-SCALES FOR IIT & UGC FACULTY MEMBERS

Existing New UGC New UGC Fitment IIT Proposed IIT Govardhan Remarks
Basic Pay Designation (in Rs) Designation Fitment by Mehta
(in Rs) Inter- Recomm-
Ministerial endation
Committee (in Rs)
(in Rs)
12000 Associate PB 3- 15600-39100 Assistant PB 3- 15600- PB 3- 15600- One can go up to
Professor AGP 8000 at min Professor 39100 39100 Associate Professor
pay of 22320 AGP 8000 at AGP 8000 at min without Ph.D. in UGC
min pay of pay of 30000 whereas in IITs one
30000 must have Ph.D. with at
least 3 years
experience and
publications to join as
Assistant Professor.
12000 Associate PB 4- 37400-67000 Assistant PB 3- 15600- PB 4- 37400- Up-gradation to PB4 in
Professor AGP 9000 at pay of Professor 39100 67000 UGC is automatic after
after 3 years 37400 After 3 years AGP 8000 still AGP 9000 at 3 years. In IITs one
in PB3 at pay of 37400 continues in PB3 unless
33524 promoted through a
rigorous selection
process.
16400 Professor PB 4- 37400-67000 Associate PB 4- 37400- PB 4- 37400- IIT Associate
(direct recruit) AGP 10000 at pay Professor 67000 67000 Professors who were in
of 40890 (direct AGP 9500 at AGP 10000 at the same cadre as UGC
recruit) pay of 42800 43000 Professors now will
draw less AGP and lose
equal status and perks
like AC taxi, hotel and
food bills, air travel etc.
18400 - - Professor PB 4- 37400- PB 4- 37400-
(direct 67000 67000
recruit) AGP 10500 at AGP 11000 at
pay of 48000 48000
- - Senior PB 4- 37400- PB 4- 37400- The smooth transition of
Professor 67000 67000 all Professors to AGP
(only 40%) AGP 12000 at AGP 12000 12000 (recommended
after 6 years pay of 48000 (after 5 years) by Mehta Committee) is
ruled out.

The table clearly points out that great injustice is being done to IIT faculty members.
While there are no enhancement of pay, scholastic pay or any other attractive benefits,
IIT faculty, at all levels, have to undergo rigorous screening and interview processes,
whether they are Assistant Professors, Associate Professors or Professors. It would not
be unrealistic to consider the move by the ministry as an attack on the IIT system itself
since at the level of Assistant Professors the offer has been made so unattractive that
most talented people will join the UGC system with higher pay and better designations.
Even at other levels an exodus may start soon. The lofty promise of the Government to
make IITs attractive for faculty rings hollow.