Enforce UGC regulations in aided colleges, says PU V-C

Panjab University (PU) vice-chancellor Professor Renu Vig has asked the Chandigarh administration to strictly enforce the University Grants Commission (UGC) Regulations, 2018 in privately managed government-aided colleges affiliated with the university. She has written separate letters to the finance secretary and the education secretary of the Chandigarh administration, highlighting long-standing problems caused by non-compliance with these rules.

In her communication, the vice-chancellor stressed that UGC regulations are statutory and binding on all colleges that receive government aid. She said that failure to follow these regulations has led to unfair differences in service conditions among teachers working in similar academic roles across the university system.

Need for uniform implementation

Professor Vig pointed out that the UGC Regulations, 2018 clearly lay down rules for minimum qualifications, recruitment, promotions, pay structure, and service conditions of teachers. Since aided colleges receive substantial government funding, they are required to implement these rules fully and uniformly.

She underlined that Panjab University has already adopted the UGC Regulations, 2018 in full, making them applicable to all affiliated colleges, including privately managed aided institutions. This means that rules related to appointments, promotions, salary fixation, and other service matters must be followed without exception.

The vice-chancellor expressed concern that many aided colleges have not implemented these regulations properly. As a result, teachers performing the same academic duties are facing different service conditions. According to her, this situation creates inequality, lowers staff morale, and weakens institutional governance.

Professor Vig also highlighted the importance of implementing the Career Advancement Scheme (CAS) for teachers in aided colleges. She noted that CAS should have been applied from July 18, 2018, the date when the UGC regulations came into force. However, several colleges have delayed or denied CAS benefits to eligible faculty members.

She warned that such selective implementation undermines regulatory discipline and goes against the principles of fairness and transparency. Uniform enforcement, she said, is necessary to ensure consistency across the entire PU-affiliated college system.

Role of administration and teachers’ concerns

In her letters, the vice-chancellor also emphasised the responsibility of the Chandigarh administration, especially the finance and education departments, in ensuring proper implementation of the UGC framework. She urged timely administrative intervention to avoid confusion and prolonged uncertainty regarding teachers’ service conditions.

According to her, delays and ambiguity in enforcing UGC norms have repeatedly led to disputes and court cases in the past. Clear and decisive action by the administration could prevent further litigation and restore trust among teaching staff.

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Teacher associations have long raised concerns about the uneven application of the UGC Regulations, 2018 in aided colleges. They have pointed out several unresolved issues, including delays in CAS promotions, non-payment of eligible dearness allowance (DA) and house rent allowance (HRA), and denial of benefits related to past service recognition.

Faculty bodies argue that these problems persist despite the fact that aided colleges receive up to 95 per cent grant-in-aid from the Central government. According to them, receiving public funds while denying statutory benefits to teachers amounts to unfair and selective application of the law.

Teachers have also said that such practices create insecurity and dissatisfaction among faculty members. Many feel that their professional growth is being stalled due to administrative delays and lack of clarity. This, they warn, could eventually affect the quality of education offered to students.

The issue has remained a long-standing point of conflict between faculty members of aided colleges and the Chandigarh administration. Over the years, several representations, protests, and legal challenges have been made by teacher associations demanding full implementation of UGC norms.

Faculty bodies maintain that UGC regulations are not optional guidelines but mandatory rules framed under statutory authority. They argue that continued non-implementation violates both the spirit and the letter of the law.

By formally raising the issue with top officials of the Chandigarh administration, the PU vice-chancellor has added institutional weight to the teachers’ demands. Observers believe her intervention could push the administration to take concrete steps toward resolving the matter.

If the UGC regulations are enforced uniformly, it could bring much-needed clarity, fairness, and stability to service conditions in aided colleges. Teachers hope that this move will finally lead to equal treatment across institutions and end years of uncertainty and grievances.