More than 500 employees of 18 government aided degree colleges are now in a fix. They haven't received their salaries for months because the State withheld grants to these colleges from November 1, 2007. Reason: They failed to obtain the minimum "B" grade accreditation from the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC).

If the colleges are given more time to improve their grades, the funds might be given again. But that requires the Government to file an affidavit before the High Court (HC) seeking more time. The employees of these colleges are now upset that the government advocate did not do so.

The advocate is learnt to have replied back to Principal Secretary, Higher Education, that the HC may dismiss the plea. Kaushik Mukharjee, the Principal Secretary, Higher Education, had written a letter to the government advocate on January 11 asking him to file the affidavit.

He reportedly directed the advocate to get undertakings from the institutions that they would obtain quality standards within a specified period (October 31, 2007).

The grants could be restored if they gave undertakings. But, the employees alleged that this directive was ignored.

Objections

Without salary for four months, the employees took to the streets urging for considering the issue on humanitarian grounds.

Federation of University and College Teachers' Association in Karnataka (FUCTAK) President Prof A M Narahari filed an objection to the government, requesting it to either amend or drop Rule 15 (1) F of Karnataka Educational Institutions (Collegiate Education) Rules 2003, which links NAAC grade with grant-in-aids. FUCTAK was not opposed to the idea of NAAC assessment, but various factors played a role in getting good grade.

However, the government overlooked the objection and went ahead with the rule.

The government had stopped grants after 46 aided colleges out of 300 colleges that applied for accreditation failed to obtain 'B' grade in 2006.

The government extended the date till October 31, 2007 to improve the grade.

Of the 46 colleges, 26 failed again to secure the minimum B grade. Five colleges improved the grade and secured B grade thereafter, while two colleges were taken over by the government and one by a Municipal Council. The employees of these colleges were paid salaries since then.

Kuvempu University is proposing to take over SMRE First Grade College, Bhadra  Project, while the government has planned to take over Group Education Committee's First Grade College in Kundgol of Dharwad district. If these proposals are implemented, the teachers of these colleges may get salaries.

AWAITING TAKEOVER?

Out of the 349 government colleges, including the newly-started 169 colleges, only 105 went through accreditation process and 53 obtained the ‘C’ grade. A ‘C’ grade college was taken over by a municipal council, while  two other ‘C’ colleges were taken over by the government. Employees of all these colleges are getting salaries regularly!

In some cases, some professors whose colleges obtained ‘B’ grades, were transferred to different colleges which obtained ‘C’ grade. Salaries of such teachers have been withheld!