Cabinet approves better pay scales for IIT, IIM faculty

The Union Cabinet on Thursday approved the revision of pay scales of more than 50 institutions of faculty, design and scientific and other academic staff of the centrally funded institutions including the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) and Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) with retrospective effect from January 1, 2006. The Government had set up a committee under the chairmanship of Prof. Govardhan Mehta to recommend revised pay scales for faculty of centrally funded technical institutions. The decision was taken to put rest to the speculation of IIT and IIM directors being put under a different pay scale. The aim was to retain quality teachers and staff in centrally funded technical institutions. The Cabinet has also given its nod for financial assistance to states for implementing the revised scales, in state-run technical institutions an official statement said. As per officials of the Union Human Resource Department (HRD) Ministry, the earlier difference between general higher educational institutions and technical institutions has still been maintained by the Cabinet. With the approval of the Cabinet, the revised pay scale recommended by the Prof. Govardhan Mehta Committee will come into effect which will put the Directors of IITs and IIMs at the Rs.80,000 basic salary slab, just under the Secretary level. The report of the committee was considered by an inter-ministerial group. The committee has recommended the pay scale of assistant professors in these institutions to be in the pay band of Rs.15, 600 to Rs.39, 100 with Academic Grade Pay (AGP) of Rs.8, 000. While the committee suggested the salary of associate professor in the band of Rs.37, 400- Rs. 67,000 with AGP of Rs.10, 000, the pay band for professors was suggested as Rs.37, 400-Rs. 67,000 with AGP of Rs.11, 000.