With the State Government removing the anomaly of differing retirement age of teachers in the colleges and those serving in administrative posts in the higher education directorate, the Principal of Narayanagar PG College, Didihat, Pithoragarh Uma Pathak could be the next Higher education Director. The State Government in its recent meeting had approved the long standing demand of college teachers to remove the disparity in the retirement ages. It is learnt that the Government Order (GO) for the Cabinet decision would soon be released.
It is worth mentioning here that the retirement age of college teachers is 65 while the age of superannuation for officers of teaching cadre working in the administrative posts in the higher education directorate was 60. This discrepancy in the difference in retirement ages has resulted in a piquant situation in which junior officers were supervising those who were senior to them.
Due to this difference the senior principals of Government colleges were refusing lateral entry into the directorate as it meant that their length of service is curtailed. The State Government too faced problem as it was forced to appoint junior officers in the top post like higher education director. Interestingly the present Director Jagdish Prasad in on 39 position in the list of seniority. One of the senior Professor of higher education department said that the principals of many colleges felt embarrassed by being directed by a junior officer.
Incidentally the Annual Career Report (ACR) of these Principals is being written by the Director who is junior to them in term of seniority. Sources revealed that the State Government could appoint Uma Pathak on the top post of director. The names of B C Malkani and CS Dhami are also doing rounds. The Federation of Uttarakhand Government College Teachers Association (FUGCTA) has expressed its happiness on the state government’s decision to remove one of the serious anomaly. The President of the association Yatish Vashistha said that the Higher education Minister Indira Hridayesh deserves special credit for the cabinet decision.