The notification regarding the time-scale promotion of 210 teachers and one-time upgradation of 547 teachers is likely to be issued by the Capital Administration and Development Division (CADD) on Monday, it was learnt reliably.

According to information, the 210 teachers of federal government model colleges would get time-scale upgradation to grade 18 from grade 17. The Departmental Promotion Committee (DPC) has completed the examination of cases and approved 210 eligible teachers for promotion.

Among 210 lecturers 130 belong to federal government colleges, including 79 females and 51 males. Meanwhile, 80 lecturers belong to model colleges, including 24 females, 41 senior female teachers and 15 male teachers.

The DPC was headed by CADD Additional Secretary Khalid Hanif and the minutes of DPC were issued on Wednesday. Meanwhile, 547 male teachers of federal government schools would get one-time upgradation from grade 16 to grade 17.

According to information, the meetings of the Departmental Promotion Committee (DPC), which started on January 2 and ended on January 6, examined the cases. The one-time promotion of teachers from grade 16 to 17 was announced by Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani. It is pertinent to mention here that it is only one-time promotion that has been ordered by the prime minister. Such promotions would not occur in future until some special orders were issued by the authority.

The notification regarding one-time upgradation was issued on October 14, 2011 after a 22-day protest march staged by college teachers. According to information, the grade 16 teachers have been waiting for their promotions for more than 20 years in some cases as the hiring in grade 17 through the Federal Public Service Commission (FPSC) had increased over years resulting in lesser promotion opportunities for the grade 16 teachers.

The promotion of teachers from grade 16 to grade 17 would take effect from January 2011. Moreover, only cases before January 2011 would be entertained. The eligibility criteria for one-time promotion was three-year consecutive service in grade 16, however, there are a few teachers who have not completed three-year service in grade 16 but only two years with some months have also been promoted. The cases in which relaxation is given in experience have been adjusted while giving them acting charge in various academic institutions.

The DPC for the one-time promotion cases was headed by CADD Joint Secretary (JS) Rafique Tahir while other members of the committee included FDE Director-General Atif Mahmood Kiyani and CADD deputy secretary (administration).

The eligibility criteria for both one-time upgradation and time-scale promotion included that no disciplinary action has ever been taken against the candidate and there is no adverse remarks in the Annual Confidential Report (ACR) of the candidate.

Federal Government Teachers Association (FGTA) President Azhar Awan said that they were pleased that their demands have been met after a long struggle. “We are hopeful that the upgradation of remaining teachers would also be done on immediate basis,” he said.

Federal Government College Teachers Association (FGCTA) General Secretary Tahir Mahmood, however, said that they were not satisfied with the condition on which time scale formula has been applied. “We are actually given one-time promotion after which four-tier promotion formulas would be applied,” he added.

He demanded of the relevant authorities to revisit the policy and allow consecutive application of time-scale formula. CADD Joint Secretary Rafique Tahir, when contacted, said that the DPC of the teachers have been conducted speedily so that the grievances of teachers could be addressed on immediate basis. “The DPC of 800 female teachers have also been completed, however, the minutes are yet to be signed,” he said. He said that the process of upgradation could not be conducted so speedily if the Federal Directorate of Education (FDE) has not followed the process so rigorously.