Academic Staff College of North Eastern Hill University has Refused to Pay TA/DA to Librarians.

[Dr. Badan Barman]

In a shocking incident, the Academic Staff College of North Eastern Hill University has refused to pay TA/DA to a participant of its 33rd Orientation Programme just because the participant was a librarian. I enclosed herewith the letter from the Prof. Rakesh Mohan, Director to Ms. Mondira Chutia.

In the letter issued to the participant librarian by the Director of UGC-ASC, NEHU, states that "the Librarians do not fall under the category of 'Teacher Participant' and hence not eligible for TA/DA". He quoted HRDC 12th Five Year Guidelines to support his stand. The Guideline says that a 'Teacher Participant' may be paid TA/DA'. The ASC-Director at NEHU is interpreting the rule in a different way and saying that "Librarians/ Assistant Librarians do not fall under the category of Teacher.

It is an established fact that for all academic purposes, the librarians are equated with teachers and are fit to receive financial assistance for attending career development programmes of UGC.

Now, it is a time, the Library Associations both at National and Regional Level should wake up and act upon.

Here are some of the circular from my collection that says that Librarians are Academician and it is already forwarded to the Prof. Rakesh Mohan, Director, Academic Staff College of North Eastern Hill University

8th June, 1998: https://goo.gl/wQgLyg

27th January, 2003: https://goo.gl/O9OrJ0

26th April, 2011: https://goo.gl/v8P4SH

21th July, 2014: https://goo.gl/ON52hb

[Munesh Kumar]

It's really very bad news and action against to the professional ethics. How a govt. servant can take such a decision by ignoring all the facts and official document? This will imbalance the culture of knowledge dissemination and  intellectual outcomes, the side effects will appear in the academics. Govt./UGC should look in to this matter and a justified action and decision is expected. Library Associations should not ignore this kind of behaviour, which could lead to destroy the profession later on. It is very shameful situation in India that people don't know about the works, roles and responsibilities of a Librarian.

[Dr A Vijayakumar]

I think that the academic staff college director(NEHU) doesnot know the meaning of a "Teacher". Apart from other eminant directors of Academic Staff Colleges, He doesnot know the real meaning of Teaching.I think that he is an illiterate person in Ethical knowledge.

[kishore Basumatary]

Dear Friends,
In-spite of controversy, I have attended the 33rd. Orientation Programme conducted by UGC-HRDC, NEHU, Shillong. I have practically faced the problem and I am here to prove that I am not paid TA/DA as I am a Librarian. I am still having a doubt on the career of a Librarian, the attitude of UGC and much more to different Library organisations functioning all over India to take up the issue and resolve the issue and solve it permanently.

[Apurba Jyoti Majumder]

I think this is an problem of NEHU
I have attended OP at Kumaon University recently, and no such problem

[Dr. Nabajyoti Das]

It is a shocking news. I am aware about the matter. I am surprised why the the person like Prof. Rakesh Mohan has perform his duty in this way, He should clearly go through the UGC regulations and properly interpret. He has not gone through the proper meaning of the Teaching staff. UGC considers College librarians as "Teaching staff" (Non vacation). The UGC office memorandum and office orders issued time to time (attached by Dr. Barman) are self explanatory to prove it. 

In this regard a Memorandum should be sent to Prof. Mohan, for rectification/reconsider of his interpretation. The professional Bodies and Associations should take step in this regard.

I think the same is not & will not happen in other universities. I have also participated the 29th OP in Kumaun University in March 2015. There was no such problem with them. 

[Siddhartha Shankar Ray]

Dear Dr. Barman,

Many thanks for bringing this injustice to the professional forum.

As I gone through Prof. Mohan's letter, I was rather surprised that though the letter was issued to Ms. Mondira Chutia, it was actually addressed to someone else (Dr. Hemala Devee!!) Besides, we need to check the  section 12(B) of UGC act and see whether Non-Vocational teachers are also included under its purview.  ( It is rather confusing from UGC's letter to Dr. Hanumanthappa where the word 'VOcational' was manually corrected to 'VAcational' I personally feel that Librarians are non VOcational Staff!! & the same has bee reiterated in Dr. Pankaj Mittal's statement)

I have gone through the four orders commencing from 1998 to 2014 and it gives me the idea that the status of Librarians are rather hazy or are being made hazy. Under such circumstances, if the particular section of UGC act does not include Librarians, UGC should be requested to take a deceive measure. Since the Orientation Programmes are mandatory for up-gradation of  Librarians (from AGP 6000 to 7000- 8000- 9000) and as the same exercise is applicable to Teachers (from Asst. Prof to Associate Professors), the Librarians should certainly get the same facilities. Never-the-less, from Sri Apurba Jyoti Majumder's post it reveals that no such embargo is applicable elsewhere (Kumayan University), it is rather distressing to note the attitude of NEHU authorities.

The best way to resolve the issue therefore is to get requisite notification from UGC.

Sincerely,

Siddhartha S. Ray, Calcutta