Circulars Deciding the Fate of Academics in RSD

Dear Colleagues,

Please read below the contents of Circulars which partitioned 'Bharatvarsh' in to 'India' and 'Pakistan' leaving the 'Kasmir issue' (CAS and Superannuation) unsettled. The Circulars are reproduced from the original. Courtesy to RC, Lucknow. Thanks!

Yours only

Ranjan Kumar

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Indira Gandhi National Open University
Maidan Garhi, New Delhi - 110 068


Teachers Affairs & Planning Division

F.No. : TA/2/15/90/396
Dated : 02.06.1994

CIRCULAR

The following Group A positions with the Regional Services Division both at the HQrs. and the Regional Centres were constituted into as separate category designated as other academic staff vide University's notification no. TA/2/15/90/990 dt. 19.08.93.

i) Regional Services (Head Quarters)

a) Director
b) Joint Director
c) Deputy Director
d) Assistant Director

i) Regional Centres

a) Regional Director
b) Assistant Regional Director

The conditions of service of these officers of the Regional Services Division at the Head Quarters and the Regional Centres as approved by the Board of Management shall

a) Qualifications for recruitment to the positions of Regional Director/ Deputy Director and ARD/AD shall be as prescribed by the Board of Management.

b) The Career advancement scheme presently applicable to teachers shall be extended to other academic staff. While the conditions for promotion to and placement in higher positions will remain the same in principal, a separate ordinance will be framed to make appropriate provisions for this purpose in the context of the nature of their functions.


c) A separate performance appraisal system will be developed for other academic staff.

d) The age of retirement of teachers and other academic staff shall be the same.

e) Other academic staff will be eligible for study leave as per provisions of the leave rules applicable to employees other than teachers.

f) There would be mobility among teachers and other academic staff working at the HQrs. and the RCs and also between schools and the Regional Services.

g) Teachers when appointed to other academic positions would be entitled only to the privileges and advantages attached to these positions.


The scheme of vacation introduced by the University is meant only for teachers working in various schools of the University, and does not apply to academics staff working at the Regional Centres.



- Sd -
(C.R. Pillai)
Director (P & TA)

All the Regional Directors

The Director (RSD)

.....................................................................................................................................................

INDIRA GANDHI NATIONAL OPEN UNIVERSITY
Maidan Garhi, New Delhi - 110 068


Teacher's Affairs & Planning Division

F.No. : TA/2/15/90/688
Dated : 11.07.1994

CORRIGENDUM

In the conditions of service of other academic staff notified vide circular No. TA/2/15/90/396 dated 7.6.94, Clause (e) of para 2 may be read as under :

(e) "Other academic staff will be eligible for study Leave as per provisions of
the leave rules applicable to teachers".



- Sd -
for Directors (P & TA)

All Regional Directors
Director - RSD

Time to rise

Dear Dr. Prasad and all other colleagues,

The content of the said letter of the ACD given to Dr Gujral is , no doubt, disheartening, disgusting, demoralising, depressing, beyond the ambit of natural justice, so on and so forth for entire academic fraternity, and this way, very harmful for the future success of IGNOU with which we have been in ‘romance’ since we joined. Don't you feel that this ‘honeymoon’ may get over with such a state of mind? If it happens, none but a handful of teachers of IGNOU having vested interest and finally the MHRD, will be responsible for the same.

Kindly come up with unequivocal suggestions as what democratic measures we should resort to clear the present deadlocks. Time has come to shed all  fear which has been the real problems with us since beginning. It is a fact that our VC is desperately trying his level best to righten the wrongs of the years. But we also must not ignore the fact that we have been sacrificing our colleagues one after another. Everything has got it's limit. Is our suffering limitless? Have faith in yourself! Success is yours. We have nothing to lose but chain.

Please rise straight so that justce is vindicated not only for us but also for IGNOU.

With regards
Yours sincerely
Ranjan Kumar

Response from Dr. K D Prasad

Majority of us have contributed with our maximum input (including the pink of our youth and the best creative and productive years ) to build up and consolidate the biggest academic and support Division in the country by being in RSD.I am sure no one can dispute this important fact. As per one of the circulars from ACD, we the academics of the University are governed by the same Recruitment Rules, Career Advancement Scheme and Service Conditions, as that of Assistant Professor, Associate Professor and Professor.This very fact has already been okayed in the past by the designated statutory bodies of university.Now, it is beyond our comprehension to find the reasons for delay in its implementation.If the letters from a very small section from our colleagues to MHRD is in the way ; we have to understand that in a democratic country like ours we would never get cent percent agreement to on any important issues.Moreover,today IGNOU(as an university) is known by the academic efforts made by the academics of RSD in the remote parts of the country.These efforts include all such works which facilitates the teaching learning activities of our learners.

We have already seen the fallout in the past.Let's resort to the democratic rights to resolve the rightful,bonafide long pending demands.

Regards

Dr. K. D. Prasad

The countdown begins...

Friends,

Dr. R. Gujral, Regional Director, RC Delhi-3, in response to his query, has been informed by ACD that he would be retiring from service on 31st July 2009, on attaining 62 years of age. Tomorrow it will be another senior colleague, then another.

This proves beyond doubt, that the decision taken by the BOM regarding parity of service conditions  has not beeen implemented. If even this doesn't wake us up, probably nothing will.

With the kind permission of Dr. Gujral, we are reproducing the content of the letter received by him for the information of all our colleagues.
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Sub : Clarification about age of superannuation

With reference to his letter no. IG/RCD-3/Pers 28th April,2009 on the subject noted above, Dr. Rajender Gujral, Regional Director, RC Delhi-III, is informed that though, in principal (sic), the academics of the University are governed by the same Recruitment Rules, Career Advancement Scheme and Service Conditions, as that of Assistant Professor, Associate Professor and Professor, these conditions are to be finalized by a Committee, which was constituted by the Hon’ble Vice-Chancellor. The Committee was notified on 18.02.2009. The Committee consists of Prof. Parvin Sinclair, PVC (In Chair ), Dr, V.V. Ready, Prof. Kapil Kumar, Prof. M.S.S. Raju and Dr. Massod Parveez. The first meeting of the Committee was held on 24.02.2009 and in that meeting it was decided that Dr. V.V. Ready and Dr. Massod Parveez. Members will work out the aspects of implementation of the Notification for Academics.

The Notification issued by the University on 28.01.2009 says at point 6 as under:-


“The Assistant Regional Directors (ARD), the Regional Directors (RD) and the Senior Regional Directors on the Regional Services Division (RSD) and the corresponding levels of Academics in other Divisions will be governed by the same Recruitment Rules, Career Advancement Scheme and service conditions as those of Assistant Professors, Associate Professors and Professors. A Committee consisting of representatives from each of the different categories will be constituted by the Vice-Chancellor to finalize the recommendations on re-designation, revised Recruitment Rules, Career Advancement Scheme and the service conditions for Teachers.”

It may also be mentioned that the Ordinance on designating certain academic positions in the University as teaching positions has not yet received the consent of the Visitor.
Under the circumstances as on the age of superannuation of Teachers is 65 years and Academics is 62 years. Dr. Gujral would therefore. Reach the age of superannuation 31.07.2009 after attaining the age of 62 years.


(N.V. Narasimham)

Director (AC)
Dr. Rajender Gujral
Regional Director, RC Delhi-III

CC Director, RSD

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So, though in principle he is supposed to retire at the age of 65, in practice he will retire at the age of 62. Reason? The Committee did not submit its recommendation? In any case, the Ccommittee would have submitted its recommendations within the overall framework of the Ordinance. Guidelines had to be evolved for CAS, not for age of retirement. And if the Committee does not submit its recommendations, should the issue be allowed to die?

We invite your reactions on this.  

On our fears...

Here is what our friend 'RC' has sent. RC, it's a beautiful quote, thank you. We call upon all our colleagues to open up and speak.

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that frightens us most. We ask ourselves, 'Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and famous?' Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that people won't feel insecure around you. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in all of us. And when we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”

Used by Nelson Mandela in his 1994 inaugural speech

Input from Mr. Bimal Chandra

The problem with solidarity movements of intelligent/Educated people over the ages are as given below:

1. They can't stay together for a long time without questioning each other's existence

2. Scapegoating: Intelligent people generally do not accept that they can make mistakes. 'Mistake' is a commodity that belongs to 'others'. 'Credit' is a stuff which can be only with 'self'.

3. Let the Profit not be mine. But my neighbour/Colleague must not also gain from the spoils of the movement.

4. Self protectionism: "Let others fight for it. I will gain if others gain. My name should not be disclosed I must preserve my image of a GOOD GUY."

Dear Friends, whatever the nature/mode of battle may be, it will be a suicidal battle if we do not shed the vices mentioned in the 4 points above. Legal remdy seems to be best option at present. But Academics must honour themslves as Academics before they expect it from others. So lomg as we are divided as ARDs/DDs/RDs, Seniors/ Juniors, we are doomed to enjoy the status that we have. It pains us to read emails when some of our colleagues ask for HQ's clarification when it comes to enjoying the status of Gr.A Officers-"Please let us know whether Academics can avail this Benefit". But the same colleagues would tell us that we have to work for 24 hours as we are Gr. A officers.

What more self defeating Paradoxical set of Propositions we can expect from persons who are overloaded with "Degrees of Wisdom" but have lost the "Degrees of Freedom".Dear friends, UNITE, ORGANIZE and FIGHT FOR YOUR RIGHTS.
But CONFIDENCE is the only key to Sucess.Regards