SHILLONG, JUN 26: The Voice of the People Party has expressed “deep concern” over what it called the weakening of Meghalaya’s Deficit Grant-in-Aid system and urged the Government to protect UGC pay scales for eligible teachers in deficit colleges, warning that recent trends could hurt higher education in the State.In a letter to Education Minister Lahkmen Rymbui on Thursday, the VPP said administrative decisions are “gradually undermining the very framework upon which higher education in Meghalaya has been built.” The party noted that while the MDA Government has repeatedly declared education a top priority, “the situation on the ground appears to suggest the opposite.”“The Deficit Grant-in-Aid system has played a historic role in expanding access to education throughout Meghalaya. It has enabled educational institutions to reach remote areas and has provided opportunities to thousands of students who would otherwise have been deprived of higher education,” the letter stated. “Any attempt to weaken, dilute, or gradually phase out this system would have serious consequences for the future of education in the State.”The party also raised concerns over denial of UGC scales of pay to some teachers serving against Government-sanctioned posts in deficit colleges. It said the extension of the UGC pay scale to college teachers began in 1975 and had been continued by successive Governments for nearly fifty years “without questioning its necessity, citing shortage of funds, or claiming that teachers’ salaries were excessive.”“It has, however, come to our notice that certain teachers serving against Government-sanctioned posts in deficit colleges are being denied the UGC scale of pay despite possessing all the requisite qualifications prescribed by the University Grants Commission,” the VPP said. “Such discrimination among teachers occupying similar Government-sanctioned posts and performing identical duties is unjustified and contrary to the principles of fairness and equal treatment.”The party argued that the current situation creates a negative perception at a time when more qualified indigenous and local candidates are entering the profession. “Attempts are being made to restrict or deny these benefits. This inevitably creates the perception that the present policy is working against the interests of local people and discouraging deserving indigenous scholars from pursuing careers in higher education,” it said.VPP also flagged delays in Dearness Allowance payments to teachers drawing UGC scales. “While the Central Government has already revised DA to 60 per cent, eligible teachers in Meghalaya are reportedly yet to receive even the earlier revised rate of 58 per cent,” the letter said. “Such delays impose unnecessary financial hardship on teachers and create uncertainty within the educational sector.”The party urged the Government to reaffirm its commitment to education by protecting and strengthening the Deficit Grant-in-Aid system, continuing UGC scales for all eligible teachers appointed against Government-sanctioned posts in deficit colleges, removing disparities among similarly placed teachers, and immediately releasing all pending DA along with future revisions.“We sincerely hope that the Government will take these concerns in the right spirit and initiate corrective measures that will safeguard the interests of teachers, strengthen educational institutions, and uphold the long-term interests of the people of Meghalaya,” the VPP added.
By Our Reporter
