Ramkrishan Upadhyay Tribune News Service Chandigarh June 22 The Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) Chandigarh has issued notices to the Director National Dairy Research Institute (NDRL) Karnal Ministry of Agriculture and the Indian Council of Agriculture Research (ICAR) on the application of a professor. The professor had challenged the order of the NDRI to retire her at the age of 60. The English professor Meena Malik has challenged the order that reduced her retirement age from 62 to 60 by the university terming it as arbitrary and against the guidelines issued by the University Grant Commission (UGC). The Tribunal while issuing the notices to the respondents also directed the NDRI to maintain the status quo till the pendency of the application. Malik approached the CAT through her counsel DR Sharma. Sharma said the NDRI in its communication dated December 27 2019 had informed Malik that she would be superannuated at the age of 60 on August 31 2021 instead of August 31 2023 along with other officials of the administration. Sharma contended before the CAT that the NDRI was a Deemed University under the Ministry of Agriculture and was conferring postgraduate degrees including the doctoral degrees and undergraduate degrees in the science subjects. The competent authority has issued an approval to grant the UGC pay scale to the applicant. She would be governed by the UGC norms as applicable to the science faculty. Dr Malik joined the NDRL on April 20 1993 as an assistant professor in the university. The ICAR equated the post of the assistant professor with a scientist. She was further assessed for promotion by the selection committee after five years as per the UGC norms. The ICAR adopted the notification of the Ministry of the Human Resource Development dated December 12 2008 prescribing 65 as the age of retirement but restricted the age to 62 for scientists. Since Dr Malik is on the cadre strength of scientists an entry was made in the service book that she will retire on August 31 2023. But due to the alleged mischief played by subordinate staff the case was referred to the ICAR that Malik was part of the technical staff and shall retire at 60. It was contended that the teaching faculty cannot hold technical post. Sharma further said the decision of the Punjab and Haryana High Court related with the similar matters will also be applicable in the case of other applicant as she belongs to the teaching faculty and is governed by the UGC norms. Dr Malik is entitled to continue up to the age prescribed by government in the rules said Sharma.

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