7th Pay Commission: Government employees struggle over salary, fitment factor; teachers too disappointed

7th Pay Commission: In the midst of central government employees hope for some hike in their minimum pay scale and fitment factor beyond the recommendation made by 7 CPC report, looks like they are not the only ones disappointed by the government's steps. Now, government teachers have also shown dissatisfaction, which is why they recently carried out a protest on the streets of Delhi. It is known that these teachers protested in the national capital against their service conditions in the country. Teachers from Delhi University Teachers’ Association (DUTA), All India Federation of University & College Teachers’ Organisations (AIFUCTO), and Federation of Central Universities’ Teachers’ Associations (FEDCUTA)  came together to raise their voice against a "policy assault" on higher education in India. 

The associations concerned pointed out the  “negative” service conditions in the Draft UGC Regulations, the 70:30 funding formula and the shift to loan-funding through Higher Education Funding Agency (HEFA). The association feels formula severely impacts the cost and quality of education, appointments of faculty and staff, promotions and other benefits in public-funded universities across the country, the Hindu reported.
 
The agenda of the protest was based on their demand for 100% financial assistance to institution of higher education for uniform and simultaneous implementation of 7th Pay Commission report recommendations for the revision of scales in all the different states in the country. 

Apart from this, they even demanded the withdrawal of proposals grants by loans through HEFA, graded autonomy and Autonomous College Scheme. 

The protest during the so-called 'black week', is expected to continue till March 19 in Delhi University. Teachers and professors will wear black bands as a symbol of their protest, even while taking classes and holding public campaigns at metro stations and other public spaces, as per the report. 

Meanwhile 7th Pay Commission has been in headlines for some other reasons.  It has emerged that the Union government is virtually certain to not listen to government employees demands and issue orders to hike salaries of staff by fitment factor of 3.00 times to a minimum pay of Rs 21,000. 

The demand for hiking the pay by 3.68 times has in all probability been trashed, but for government employees hope floats as no final decision has been taken. Various reasons were forwarded for that, from huge bank scams to rising deficit stemming from fact that there are lakhs of employees and pensioners involved. Unions wanted minimum pay at Rs 26,000 instead of Rs 18,000, but they may have to settle for less.