Several faculty members with MPhil and PhD degrees at Lakshmibai College, affiliated to Delhi University, were taken aback by a reduction in their salaries in February.

It took some time for the faculty to realise that the college had enforced a government directive, which had been in place for eight years, to withdraw the increments provided to faculty members based on their research degrees.

Staff association members said these incentives were started in 2010 after the University Grants Commission (UGC) notified rules on teachers’ appointment providing for five increments, amounting to 15 per cent of basic salary, for those with a PhD.

The UGC wanted to encourage research and attract talented faculty members to
institutions.

If a faculty member takes a study leave and gets a PhD, the institution gives her/him three increments. MPhil holders get three increments at the time of recruitment and one for acquiring an MPhil while in service.

However, an order issued by the ministry of human resource development (HRD), now the ministry of education (MoE), in 2017 advocated discontinuation of such benefits.

The government said faculty members with PhD and MPhil get a relaxation in required experience for promotion from assistant professor to associate professor and therefore these extra benefits were not required.

The government order was not implemented by institutions because the UGC’s revised regulations on teacher appointment in 2018 continued with these benefits.

UGC rules are notified with the approval of the government. The UGC last month issued a letter to all central universities asking them to discontinue the incentives to avoid any audit objections.

Delhi University has not taken any decision on the issue. However, Lakshmibai College and Shyam Lal College have implemented the order. The staff association of Lakshmibai College on Tuesday met principal Pratush Vatsala and expressed objections to the hurried implementation of the UGC order even before DU had taken a decision.

“The UGC’s 2018 regulations continue the incentives. It has benefitted in attracting candidates with research qualifications to join institutions. Withdrawal of the incentives will adversely affect teacher quality in institutions,” a Delhi University Teachers’ Association member said.