Model College Recruitment: Who Gains In Fixed Pay Scheme Over UGC Pay Scale?

It began with a single circular dated July 18. On the surface, it looked like a routine administrative decision: newly established model colleges in Assam were directed to appoint two retired professors per department at a fixed monthly salary of Rs 1 lakh, while freshly recruited NET/SLET/PhD-qualified candidates would join alongside them as probationers at a fixed Rs 50,000 per month for three years.

Inside education circles, the order spread like wildfire. It wasn’t just about pay; it was about what the policy symbolised—a system that puts a premium on the past while undercutting the very scholars expected to build the future.

The directive mentioned a 50:50 ratio between retired and new faculty. But when applied to departments with three sanctioned posts, it translated into two retirees and just one fresh recruit. That silent 2:1 ratio means early-career scholars are effectively restricted to one-third of available positions in these institutions.

Research Scholars Gave an Alternative To Govt Argument

When the controversy reached the cabinet table, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma was blunt: “There is no point in pressuring me. Without experienced faculties, the model colleges don’t meet the expectations.”

But research associations argue the solution lies elsewhere. Representatives told Pratidin Time that over 1,700 assistant professors have been waiting to get promoted to the Associate level for years. “They could be promoted and transferred to the new model colleges to balance experienced with fresh recruits,” said Ranjan Das, advisor to AARSA (All Assam Research Scholars Association).

Das suggested another route: transferring a few senior associate professors still in service to model colleges while filling their old posts with newly promoted assistant professors and fresh candidates. “That would bring in experience without shutting out new aspirants,” he added.

GURSA (Gauhati University Research Scholars’ Association) members also met the CM. They claim he assured them the recruitment would follow a 2:1 ratio in favor of fresh candidates, but the government’s implementation flipped the ratio in favor of retirees.

However, there is another concern brewing amongst the aspirants, which is why the new recruits are put in the UGC pay scale. Does the Govt. want to save money for the years the new provisions have been put?

How Much Money Is the Govt Really Saving?

Estimated Salary Outlay – Current Government Model (Fixed Pay)

Two-thirds of the expenditure is being channelled into retired professors. Young teachers, hired to inject new energy into higher education, are left with a fraction of the budget and a fixed pay far below UGC norms.

If Paid as per UGC Scales (7th Pay Commission)

By UGC standards, giving young faculty their rightful pay would cost the state about ₹7–8 crore more over three years compared to the fixed-pay model.

There is another aspect, which is the 8th Pay Commission, about to be in place by next year. However, it has not been finalised yet. A rough estimate of the pay structure in the 8th pay commission may be thought of as below--

Upcoming 8th Pay Commission Impact (Estimated)

Note: A fresh recruit would get the first year's salary as per the 7th pay commission, and if the 8th pay commission is being implemented, then the fresh recruit would start getting it from the second year of service. The cumulative sum, therefore, is calculated with 1st year as per the 7th pay commission and the second and third years as estimated for the 8th pay commission. 

Will a Short-Scale Experiment Set a Long-Term Precedent?

Though the savings from not putting new hires on UGC scales are not massive, the bigger question looms: Is this the new model for future recruitments?

Many aspirants spend years preparing—not just for a job, but for recognition, passion, and financial security. For them, this policy feels less like an experiment and more like a warning.

Probation or Pay Suppression?

The three-year probation adds another layer of concern. It comes with fixed pay, no allowances, and heavy demands: government-funded research projects, organizing national seminars, and contributing to NAAC/NIRF rankings.

Politics in the Governing Body

Even after probation, regularisation isn’t guaranteed. It rests with the college Governing Body, which includes the local MLA. Scholars fear this opens the door to political influence overshadowing academic merit.

A Question of Priorities

The government argues the policy brings experience and manages limited funds. But the numbers tell another story: the cost of giving new faculty their due isn’t astronomical.

If funds are truly tight, why is Assam choosing to invest in the past at double the cost of the future?

Model colleges were envisioned as laboratories of progress. Today, they stand as test cases of whether the state is willing to back tomorrow’s scholars—or mortgage them for yesterday’s experience.

{Disclaimer: All salary figures are based on available directives, standard pay scales, and internal estimates. Actual expenditure may vary slightly depending on final appointments and allowances.}

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