College retirement age raised to 65 from 62.

TT, 08 Jan 2019, Calcutta: The retirement age of college and university teachers will be raised from 62 to 65 years and that of vice-chancellors from 65 to 70, chief minister Mamata Banerjee announced on Monday.

Colleges and universities require experienced teachers for maintaining academic standards and therefore there is a need to retain teachers who are "matured", said Mamata.

"There should not be dearth of experienced teachers in the universities and colleges. So we have decided to increase the age of retirement of college and university teach- ers from 62 to 65 years. University vice-chancellors will retire at 70," the chief minister said delivering the convocation of Calcutta University .

Under the existing rules, vice-chancellor can remain in office till completion of 65 years.

Exactly two years ago, the chief minister had announced increase in the age of retirement of college and university teachers from 60 to 62 years at a convention of the teachers at Netaji Indoor Stadium organised by the school education department.

Mamata promised that the decision ( enhancing the age retirement of college and university teachers from 62 to 65 years) would not affect the young aspirants.

"I promise you there won't be dearth of jobs. We have opened 23 new universities and 11 more are in the pipeline. There will be more new colleges coming up in Bengal. So you need not worry at all," said Mamata to the packed audience of recipients of postgraduate and doctoral degrees, students, teachers of affiliated colleges of Calcutta University and senior officials of the government.

"I don't agree with the idea that teachers can't work after 60. In fact they can deliver better after this age. We should retain them... The institutions should utilise their expertise for further improvement," said Mamata.

The increase of age of retirement of teachers would mean fewer vacancies because teachers who would turn 62 will continue to work for three more years, an official of the education department said.

There are over 14,000 sanctioned teaching posts in universities and colleges in Bengal and around 10 per cent of the teachers retire every year.

The enhancement of the retirement age would mean around 4,000 less teachers would be recruited in the universities and colleges in the next three years which will ultimately lower the opportunities for young aspiring teachers to seek the teaching jobs, a senior official of the education department said.

The process of recruiting nearly 2500 new assistant professors for state-aided colleges is in process. The state college service commission has received nearly 24,500 applications for nearly 2500 vacant posts of assistant professors indicating the lack of decent jobs for qualified youths in the state.

"I appreciate the move of the government. But this extension of retirement age will affect the career of a huge number of meritorious youths in the coming three years," said an applicant for the post of assistant professor.

"Teachers who are in service will be happy. But at the same time a large number of qualified youths will suffer. The government must take appropriate steps to create job opportunities for those postgraduates who have cleared the NET or SET five years ago and have still not been able manage a teaching job in any college," said Srutinath Prahraj, a former leader of the CPM-controlled West Bengal College and University Teachers' Association.

Some teachers said the decision had been taken to make political gain before the Lok Sabha polls. Some wondered whether it could also annoy the educated young who would fear missing out on opportunity.

Education minister Partha Chatterjee who was also present at the convocation said an order announcing the chief minister's announcement on enhancement of retirement age of teachers will be issued soon.