OUCAPA threatens to intensify stir in support of demands

Hyderabad: The Osmania University Contract Assistant Professors Association (OUCAPA) threatened to intensify their agitation if they are not provided salaries as per the 7th Commission revised pay scales applied to the regular teaching staff.

Addressing media here on Friday, OUCAPA president Dr Dharmateja said the State government has issued an order numbered 15, extending 7th Pay Commission salaries to the regular teaching staff of the universities in the State.

Earlier, in April last year, the State government had issued an order numbered 11, enhancing the salaries of the contract assistant professors 75 per cent, based on the basic salary of the regular assistant professors.

Since, the State government had extended the 7th Pay Commission, we want the salaries of the contract assistant professors to also be hiked by 75 per cent, based on the revised basic salary of the regular assistant professors of the universities, he added.

"Though the issue has been discussed with the University Registrar and Officer on Special Duty (OSD), we were given only oral assurance and nothing more," he said. That apart, a three per cent annual increment is given to the contract assistant professors earlier.

But the same was converted into an annual payment of Rs 1,339 towards increment. The OUCAPA wanted to restore the annual three per cent increment. Besides, they also demanded that the State government provide 12-month salary as it had extended to the junior and degree college lecturers in the State.

Also, the OUCAPA has asked the university to follow the Provident Fund Rules (PFR), with employer and employee contribution while extending PF facility to the contract professors.

In addition to the above, Dharmateja said the organisation demands to provide Rs 3,000 additional monthly payment for the PhD holders as it is being implemented in case of regular assistant professors.

Taking out a rally from the University Arts College to press their demands, the organisation said, "if the State government and the University fail to take necessary steps to meet their demands, they will intensify their agitation."