Retd profs slam Arya College mgmt for denying them enhanced gratuity

Ludhiana: The Arya College managing committee (ACMC) is facing sharp criticism from over 20 retired professors for delay in disbursement of enhanced gratuity.
Although a government directive was passed in 2016 to increase gratuity to Rs20 lakh as per Seventh Pay Commission, the college management has reportedly given them only Rs 10 lakh as gratuity and enhanced gratuity amount of 10 lakh is pending, which has led to dissatisfaction among the retired educators.
Parveen Sharma, who retired on September 30, 2022, as associate professor of physics and was also head of the department, said, “We are deeply disappointed by the blatant violation of our rights. Despite decades of dedication, we are facing financial difficulties as we have been denied our entitled gratuity.”
Now, these professors are demanding the revised gratuity and implementation of revised pay scales as per the Seventh Pay Commission for which they have been sending letters to the college management and also given representations to the Panjab University vice-chancellor and Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Singh Mann.
Devinder Joshi, who retired as associate professor in Punjabi in 2019, adds, “We are urging the vice-chancellor of Punjab University and the Punjab chief minister to intervene immediately to ensure we receive the benefits that we have rightfully earned after years of service.”
Chamkaur Singh, district president of the Punjab and Chandigarh College Teachers’ Union (PCCTU), stated, “It is disappointing that the ACMC representative body cannot provide these deserving professors with their rightful benefits. The PCCTU appeals to the college management to ensure immediate payment to the retired educators. If the issue is not addressed urgently, they will have to escalate their struggle.”
Admitting the delay in gratuity to retired professors of the college, secretary of Arya College Managing Committee SM Sharma told TOI, “We are looking into the matter. There is a delay in gratuity as the procedure to enhance gratuity is underway.”