'Minority institutions should pay teachers Govt. scales'

By Our Special Correspondent

COIMBATORE, NOV. 6. The State Minorities Commission today made it clear that minority educational institutions could not take shelter under their status and seek exemption from Government rules while paying their staff. ``They should also pay only the scales prescribed by the Government''.

Addressing a press conference after its 79th meeting here, the Chairperson, Dr. Annamma Philip, said under the pretext of minority institutions, the teachers could not be denied their due.

She was responding to a query on the demand by a representative of a teacher-training institute that the Government either provide funds to the minority institutions for paying NCTE (National Council of Technical Education) scales or allow them to ``pay according to our convenience''. He was making this representation following the Government decision this year to have 50 per cent of the seats in these institutions as ``Government quota''.

The Chairperson pointed out that minority institutions of such nature all over the State had been in a bind this year because of the Government's decision and the Commission had been getting a number of representations. Though the Government did sanction an increase in the intake of these institutions, they had not obtained permission from the NCTE. This resulted in a predicament for these institutions.

She said that at most of the meetings, the representations pertained to the minority institutions, teacher posts, places of worship, burial grounds and playgrounds.

Dr T. Kamal Sheriff, vice-chairman, and Mr. Anser Ali, member- secretary of the Commission, pointed out that one of the major demands made at today's meeting and voiced all over the State was that the institutions should not be asked to renew their ``minority status'' year after year. ``Once declared a minority institution, the status should be made permanent. However, the Government could monitor it from time to time''.

The Commission pointed out that it had also been representing to the Government time and again that it be conferred ``statutory powers'' as was done in Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat. Moreover, the National Commission had been granted statutory powers now.

It was because of the efforts of the Commission that 2,671 teacher posts had been sanctioned for the minority institutions in the State. Similarly, the Urdu Academy was started at its instance and the scarcity of language books-in Urdu, Arabic and Malayalam-was taken serious note of by the Government because of the Commission's representation. The Chairperson of the State Minorities Commission, Dr. Annamma Philip (second from right), speaking at a meeting at the Coimbatore Collectorate on Tuesday.

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Section  : Southern States
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