Sibal extends dialogue offer to fasting IIT professors

While extending out dialogue offer to the IIT professor disillusioned with the government over the pay issue, Union HRD Minister Kapil Sibal made it clear that he won’t budge from his oft repeated stand on the issue. He called that their demand for pay scales on par with the world universities untenable. 

Citing dearth of resources to meet their demands for higher salaries for his tough stand, the minister said he still won’t mind holding a dialogue with the estranged members of the IIT faculty across the table, saying:

 “We will be too happy to discuss anything.” 

Going a step further, Sibal said he was ready to concede them ‘any autonomy’. The statement came after the IIT faculty member went on hunger strike over the pay issue. A total of 1,500 professors of the premier technical institutions of the country went on fast in a rare show of solidarity. They however will not boycott classes.

The decision for hunger strike was taken by the All India IIT Faculty Federation on Thursday as their charter of demands failed to find favour with the HRD Ministry. Withdrawal of 40 per cent cap on promotion of professors to senior grade was among the demand.

President of the federation, Prof M Thenmozi (IIT-Madras) was quoted as saying:

"We had asked for a meeting with the HRD Ministry representatives on the issue. But there is no response. Hence, we went on with the agitation." 

 

In a policy that is reflective of the carrot and stick, Sibal offered unconditional autonomy, while firmly turning down their demand pay hike.