Source: The Sangai Express / S singlianmang Guite
Lamka, February 10 2010:
Taking a cue from their counterparts of the other north eastern states such as Mizoram, Nagaland and Tripura, the state college lecturers now insist on the government that their age of superannuation be increased from the current 59 years to 65, as was prescribed by the University Grant Commission.
A memorandum of the lecturers on the matter was submitted the Chief Minister stating as against the 1918 lecturers sanctioned by Manipur University ordinance and as against 1260 sanctioned by the government the standing position in the state as on January 1 this year was 1067 .
In case demand for increase in age of superannuation fails to materialize 37 lecturers will retire within February alone and the total strength reduce to a bare 1030 thereby worsening the issue of teacher shortage in the state, maintained the memo.
This will eventually affect education as a whole in general and the higher education in the state, in particular, it added.
Commenting on the issue, President of Lamka College Teachers' Association said the UGC scheme was meant to attract the talent in the teaching professional and to make use of their research findings for human resource development besides availing the maximum utilization of their expertise and experiences.
Predicting a severe dearth of teaching faculty if not a complete break-down the senior lecturer said it is time the govt wake-up to the truth and save higher education by adopting the UGC scheme of age superannuation.
Of the three crucial provisions in the UGC scheme the age superannuation is the only one that awaits the state's consent, he said.