Hyderabad: Students of the English and Foreign Language University allege that Professor Syed Abdul Sayeed, the head of department of Aesthetics and Philosophy, is being given increased basic pay in violation of the University Grant Commission rules. He is also currently holding five important administrative posts.
N. Satish, a PhD student and a member of the Telangana Students Association, said that Prof. Sayeed was recently awarded basic pay of Rs 43,000 and grade pay of Rs 10,000 in pay band-4, though he was appointed on a salary of Rs 37,000 in 2008 as per UGC regulations. He was also paid Rs 3.7 lakh in April 2013 for reasons unknown.
Satish added that Eflu’s former vice-chancellor, Professor Abhai Maurya gave Prof. Sayeed five increments. “Following this, the professor kept demanding a basic pay of Rs 43,000 for the last five years, but no vice- chancellor agreed to his demand. However, he has managed to get Rs 43,000 as basic pay now. The present administration, all of a sudden, has awarded him the increased basic per month.”
Another PhD student E. Upender of Progressive Democratic Students’ Union alleged that the administration took this decision to financially benefit Prof. Sayeed.
“In fact, the professor who holds five different important posts simultaneously received his extra salary in the form of higher pay and other kickbacks. citing ministry of human resource development circulars, it was pointed out that the basic pay of a person who was in service as on January 1, 2006, will be fixed based on his last pay certificate.
Prof. Sayeed was a ‘Reader’ and was in service as on January 1, 2006, at Aligarh Muslim University before he quit. As he was not a directly recruited professor, but a Reader in service, and got this service transferred to Eflu in 2008, he was rightly awarded basic pay of Rs 37,400 in the grade pay of Rs 10,000 as per the regulations. However, now the basic has been increased.” Upendra said.
Dr Syed A. Sayeed is professor and head of the department of Aesthetics and Philosophy, dean of the School of Inter-Disciplinary Studies, nodal officer, in-charge finance officer and in-charge registrar of Eflu.
When contacted, Professor Sayeed said no irregularities have been committed in his appointment or salary and gave the following lengthy rebuttal.
“If one views the UGC website, there are clear regulations about a professor’s pay (fixed) and also the increments he is entitled to. There are professors who are directly appointed and also people who get promoted under the career advancement scheme, who are entitled to get Rs 37,000 as basic pay.
Those who attend the interview and then get selected are entitled under UGC regulations to not less than Rs 43,000 as their basic and this can be checked with any university. At the time of my interview, the then selection committee approved to give me some advances and gave me five increments.
I directly got recruited by the university and I am entitled to get the UGC-regulated basic, which I was not given since 2008, when I was appointed as a professor. Since 2008, the university did not give me my basic pay of Rs 43,000 which I am entitled to despite asking them several times and now I have been granted the pay. I deny these allegations.
There is nothing illegal. The Rs 3.7 lakh is the arrear amount which I had to get since 2008. Whatever has been done is strictly in accordance with UGC regulations. I have not received any benefit in violation of any rules or any norms and I stand by that.
If I received some extra salary the administration should write to the UGC. Whatever I am getting it is on paper. If I am wrong, the UGC will take action and recover from me through audit.” he said.
