College teachers can join NREGP after 55!

The dismissal of a batch of petitions seeking hike of retirement age of college teachers from 55 to 65 is a welcome verdict from Kerala High Court. The petitioners seeking issuance of directions to the state government on the basis of the UGC recommendations is an indication of their greed and scant consideration to innumerable youngsters looking for job. The hiking of age from 55 plus Thomas Isaac gifted one year to 65 would turn the hope of all candidates waiting for teacher post in colleges drab for another ten years. Their quality and capability may drain. The argument that a lot of qualified people were waiting for their turn to get appointment as teachers in colleges is an absolute fact.


The petitioners submission that they were forced to retire from service at the peak of their careers is not withstanding because they entered in service under the condition that they relinquish from the post when they reach 55. What they claim such as their professional experience and other things are sheer non-sense as students benefit more from youngsters with new knowledge and energy and not from worn-out horses. Let these teachers join NREG programme after their retirement and make their job more meaningful. Reasonable people would blame them for not having any concern over the plight of innumerable educated ones wandering for a job.


-K A Solaman