AHMEDABAD: More than a week after the faculty members of Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) went on a mass casual leave protesting against pay disparity under the Sixth Pay Commission, the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) are now springing into action.
IIM-A, which has taken a lead among the IIMs, has formed a 3-member committee to highlight the pay commission recommendations. The main grudge is the percentage increase in salary for IIM faculty has been lesser than that granted to their counterparts in other government agencies. As a result the premium in the pay scales enjoyed by IITs and IIMs has been considerably reduced after the latest pay revision.
The effort by the faculty, in which other IIMs will eventually be roped in, will be to build a case for making a representation before the Union HRD ministry. The committee’s report will be first circulated and discussed among the faculty members.
“We have been following developments in IITs. Our faculty are in touch with the protesting members there. We may not follow the IIT and go on mass CL, but since the issue is same, we may take a cue from the IITs. Our tone, however, may not be as strident,” said a faculty member.
“Our insistence will be on a symmetrical treatment with faculty under UGC institutions and other government agencies,” he said. Sources said the IIMs are taking time to react because, unlike IITs, there is no central plank through which the IIMs could jointly register their protest before the ministry.
“The IIMs have not been able to react faster as there is a lack of proper mechanism to mobilise and coordinate faculty members at various IIMs. We will first discuss the issue and reach a conclusion before approaching the Centre,” a source said.
The IITs have also protested on the grounds that the government has offered 40% less remuneration than their demand. As per Govardhan Mehta committee recommending pay hike for faculty members of IITs and IIMs, assistant professors have been put in 3rd pay band while both associate professors and professors have been kept in 4th pay band.
Thursday, September 3, 2009
LCA or WHATEVER
September 2, 2009: India
is determined to put its locally developed jet fighter, the LCA (Light Combat Aircraft) into mass production. Five prototypes already exist, and another ten pre-production models will be built next year. By 2012, mass production (at least 20 aircraft a year) is to begin, no matter what. Or at least that's the plan. For over two decades, India has been trying to design, develop and manufacture its own "lightweight fighter." India calls it the LCA, and the project has been a major disaster.
The U.S. F-16 is probably the premier "lightweight fighter" in service, and entered wide service about the time India began thinking about creating their own. Both the F-16 (at least the earlier models), and the LCA, weigh about twelve tons. But the F-16 is a high performance aircraft, with a proven combat record, while the LCA is sort of an improved Mirage/MiG-21 type aircraft. Not too shabby, and cheap (about half the cost of an F-16). Also, for all this time, money and grief, India has made its aviation industry a bit more capable and mature.
When work began in the mid-1980s, it was believed that the aircraft would be ready for flight testing by 1990. A long list of technical delays resulted in that first flight taking place in 2001. Corners had to be cut to make this happen, for the LCA was originally designed to use the Indian built Kaveri engine. For a jet fighter, the engine is the most complex part of the aircraft, and the Kaveri has had its share of setbacks. Fortunately, there was an American engine, the GE 404, that fit the LCA, and could be used as a stop-gap. The Kaveri engine is not expected to be ready for flight tests until later this year, or thereabouts. The American engine has been used in the meantime.
For all this, India only plans to buy 200-300 LCAs, mainly to replace its aging MiG-21s. Export prospects are dim, given all the competition out there (especially for cheap, second-hand F-16s). The delays have led the air force to look around for a hundred or so new aircraft (or even used F-16s) to fill the gap between elderly MiG-21s falling apart, and the arrival of the new LCAs. However, two decades down the road, the replacement for the LCA will probably be a more competitive, and timely, aircraft.
The LCA was not the first attempt to produce an Indian jet fighter. The HF-24 was an earlier attempt at developing a modern fighter. Designed by Kurt Tank (who also designed the FW-190 and Ta-152), the HF-24 was a failure because India could not develop a powerful enough engine. Thus the 147 HF-24s built, served from the 1960s, to the 1980s, as a ground attack aircraft.
The U.S. F-16 is probably the premier "lightweight fighter" in service, and entered wide service about the time India began thinking about creating their own. Both the F-16 (at least the earlier models), and the LCA, weigh about twelve tons. But the F-16 is a high performance aircraft, with a proven combat record, while the LCA is sort of an improved Mirage/MiG-21 type aircraft. Not too shabby, and cheap (about half the cost of an F-16). Also, for all this time, money and grief, India has made its aviation industry a bit more capable and mature.
When work began in the mid-1980s, it was believed that the aircraft would be ready for flight testing by 1990. A long list of technical delays resulted in that first flight taking place in 2001. Corners had to be cut to make this happen, for the LCA was originally designed to use the Indian built Kaveri engine. For a jet fighter, the engine is the most complex part of the aircraft, and the Kaveri has had its share of setbacks. Fortunately, there was an American engine, the GE 404, that fit the LCA, and could be used as a stop-gap. The Kaveri engine is not expected to be ready for flight tests until later this year, or thereabouts. The American engine has been used in the meantime.
For all this, India only plans to buy 200-300 LCAs, mainly to replace its aging MiG-21s. Export prospects are dim, given all the competition out there (especially for cheap, second-hand F-16s). The delays have led the air force to look around for a hundred or so new aircraft (or even used F-16s) to fill the gap between elderly MiG-21s falling apart, and the arrival of the new LCAs. However, two decades down the road, the replacement for the LCA will probably be a more competitive, and timely, aircraft.
The LCA was not the first attempt to produce an Indian jet fighter. The HF-24 was an earlier attempt at developing a modern fighter. Designed by Kurt Tank (who also designed the FW-190 and Ta-152), the HF-24 was a failure because India could not develop a powerful enough engine. Thus the 147 HF-24s built, served from the 1960s, to the 1980s, as a ground attack aircraft.
Furore over out-of-turn promotion to cops
NEW DELHI: A decision of the Cabinet Committee on Appointments to grant the rank of special secretary to all IPS officers of the 1975 batch who were recently promoted as director-generals has created a stir with a section of officialdom seeing it as an extraordinary and unnecessary measure.
The story apparently begins with the out-of-turn rank being given to three officers who had the "right" connections. One of these senior cops was related to a governor who commands some attention with the Congress-led government at the Centre. These officers were worried that they would be retiring without the benefits of senior rank.
When the government took the rather unusual measure of upping the ranks of just these three officers, it perhaps did not anticipate the protests that would follow. While the cops in question could be said to have pulled strings, their batchmates were not ordinary folks and took umbrage to the exception that had been made.
Sensing that the goodies would have to be spread out more evenly, the ACC then granted the benefits to all officers of that batch. But this created another anomalous situation. Suddenly, by virtue of their special rank, these officers became "senior" to those who were higher up the pecking order in their respective organisations. The heartburn is not serious, but some of these officers have about two years to go for retirement.
The fallout of the ACC's decision is being felt in several central organisations including police and security outfits. What seems to have happened is that in every organisation as well as some state police forces, one or two officers have become the odd men out due to the ACC decision. What is causing some annoyance is that while the committee moved quickly on these promotions, it does not show similar alacrity otherwise.
But with the ACC being headed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and including home minister P Chidambaram and finance minister Pranab Mukherjee, no one is asking too many questions.
The story apparently begins with the out-of-turn rank being given to three officers who had the "right" connections. One of these senior cops was related to a governor who commands some attention with the Congress-led government at the Centre. These officers were worried that they would be retiring without the benefits of senior rank.
When the government took the rather unusual measure of upping the ranks of just these three officers, it perhaps did not anticipate the protests that would follow. While the cops in question could be said to have pulled strings, their batchmates were not ordinary folks and took umbrage to the exception that had been made.
Sensing that the goodies would have to be spread out more evenly, the ACC then granted the benefits to all officers of that batch. But this created another anomalous situation. Suddenly, by virtue of their special rank, these officers became "senior" to those who were higher up the pecking order in their respective organisations. The heartburn is not serious, but some of these officers have about two years to go for retirement.
The fallout of the ACC's decision is being felt in several central organisations including police and security outfits. What seems to have happened is that in every organisation as well as some state police forces, one or two officers have become the odd men out due to the ACC decision. What is causing some annoyance is that while the committee moved quickly on these promotions, it does not show similar alacrity otherwise.
But with the ACC being headed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and including home minister P Chidambaram and finance minister Pranab Mukherjee, no one is asking too many questions.
Sibal holds talks with IIT directors over salaries
Sept. 2: Union human resource development minister Kapil Sibal on Wednesday held talks with IIT directors and assured them that the government would look into their demand for added incentives positively. The government move is expected to end the faculty protest they are expected to return to work. The IIT directors have also assured the minister that they will work to resolve the issue.
Official sources stated that the HRD minister has promised the IIT directors that their demands would be looked into properly. "IIT directors have also assured the government of their full cooperation on the issue," sources added.
Speaking after the meeting, IIT Kanpur director Prof. Sanjay Govind Dhande stated that the meeting was held in an amicable environment and the government had assured them of looking into the faculty’s demands. "We are satisfied with the minister’s response and he has assured us that the matter will be resolved at the earliest," Prof. Dhande stated.
Faculty members had alleged that the new pay structure, notified by the ministry, sets annual increments at scales lower than those prescribed by the central pay panel under former Indian Institute of science director Goverdhan Mehta. The Central panel had proposed better incentives for IIT and IIM faculties to counter better salaries offered by industry and foreign universities in an effort to stop the brain drain from these top institutes.
Choppers can't land so troops being dropped at crash site
Hyderabad : The Indian Air Force (IAF) is trying to para-drop troops on the hill where the missing helicopter carrying Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy and four others was traced Thursday morning.
Two IAF helicopters are hovering over the hill in the dense forests of Kurnool, but landing is very difficult, officials said, adding that they were trying to drop troops by for relief and rescue operations.
The IAF choppers also dropped papers with "crash site" written on it. The paper contains the technical details of the exact site. It is believed to be meant to guide the forces engaged in ground search operations.
Some police officials on the ground saw the pieces of paper and are trying to head towards the crash site between Rudrapuduru and Velugodu villages. A large number of police and civil officials and villagers were also trying to reach the crash site in the Nallamalla forest.
Indian Air Force gets new head of human resource
New Delhi, Sep 2 (IANS) Air Marshal K.J. Mathews Wednesday took over as the new head of human resource of the Indian Air Force (IAF), an official said Wednesday.
Mathews took charge as Air Officer-in-Charge Personnel (AOP) from Air Marshal Sumit Mukerjee.
Mathews took charge as Air Officer-in-Charge Personnel (AOP) from Air Marshal Sumit Mukerjee.
Commissioned in the year 1973, Mathews has over 3,500 hours of flying to his credit on various aircraft that include HF-24 (Marut), Hunter, MiG-21M and MiG-29. He was also a team member of “Thunderbolts” — IAF’s erstwhile aerobatic team.
The appointments he has held so far include station commander of an operational base during Kargil operations, air officer commanding of air force station Adampur, Principal Director of Concept Studies, Assistant Chief of the Air Staff (Operations) at Air HQ and Commandant Air Force Academy.
Air Marshal Mathews is an alumnus of the National Defence Academy, Defence Services Staff College, Wellington, and Air War College, the US.
Centre wants states to rope in ex-naval personnel for security
New Delhi, Sept 2 (PTI) Dismissing the contention of certain states that there were not enough trained people available to operate boats for coastal security, the Centre has suggested that they rope in retired naval personnel.
Home Minister P Chidambaram said some states have complained that they cannot appoint trained personnel to operate the boats for coastal security.
"I told the Chief Ministers that I don't accept that argument. There are any number of trained personnel retired from Indian Navy, retired from Coast Guard or retired from Merchant Navy.
"So, how can states like Kerala, Maharashtra or Gujarat, where there are thousands of people retired from Navy or Coast Guard or Merchant Navy, can say that they cannot get a handful of people to operate these boats. I don't buy the argument," he said yesterday when asked about the complaint from some states.
Home Minister P Chidambaram said some states have complained that they cannot appoint trained personnel to operate the boats for coastal security.
"I told the Chief Ministers that I don't accept that argument. There are any number of trained personnel retired from Indian Navy, retired from Coast Guard or retired from Merchant Navy.
"So, how can states like Kerala, Maharashtra or Gujarat, where there are thousands of people retired from Navy or Coast Guard or Merchant Navy, can say that they cannot get a handful of people to operate these boats. I don't buy the argument," he said yesterday when asked about the complaint from some states.
Soldiers who join after school may keep studying
New Delhi, Sep 3 (IANS) The Indian Army has outlined an ambitious plan by which its soldiers who join after school will be able to study for a degree while they are in service.
The scheme will benefit many of the 1.2 million soldiers of the Indian Army. The system will be based on the US system of community colleges.
“The community colleges will be located in our training, human resource and regimental centres,” a senior Indian Army official told IANS, requesting anonymity.
Every year nearly 50,000 trained soldiers retire from the army after an average of 15 years of service.
“The army jawans retire generally after 15 years of service and form a part of highly trained, dedicated, disciplined and loyal work force. But most of them are merely school pass-outs. A graduate degree will open up whole lots of avenues for them,” an army official associated with the project said.
For its programme, the Indian Army has tied up with Indira Gandhi National Open Univeristy (IGNOU). A memorandum in this regard will be signed between the Indian Army and IGNOU Sep 4.
“The jawans will be given BA, BBA, BSc and BCom degrees depending on their area of work,” the official added.
The soldiers will work to earn 92 credits for getting a graduation degree.
The first 64 credits will be given to the soldier for his work within the army. He will also need to do some courses for which he will be awarded certificates.
Thereafter he will go to the IGNOU programme to earn the remaining credits.
For those soldiers who join after Class 10, the army will be organising bridge courses to bring them at par with those who have completed Class 12.
“It will provide a lot of benefit to the soldiers. They will become graduates for less money and will get a degree from an internationally recognised university. Most jawans who look for second employment in the open market post retirement will get better options. These benefits will be besides the value addition to the quality of life of the jawan and his family,” another official added.
“The programme will have international ramifications, as after their graduation the soldiers may go abroad for higher studies or for work and will form a viable work force globally,” said the official.
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