Thiruvananthapuram: The government has introduced an ordinance which stipulates that there must be an agreement between employees and the management for appointments in self-financing colleges. The ordinance has introduced several conditions regarding appointments.

According to the ordinance, there must be an agreement between employee and the management regarding designation, tenure or appointment, pay scale including salary and other benefits, increment, grade and promotion among others when a person is appointed as a teaching or non-teaching staff at a self-financing college.

The timing and nature of work and work days will be similar to that of government and aided colleges.

The minimum and maximum age limit for appointments and retirement age in self-financing colleges will be decided by the regulatory body concerned from time to time. The employees must have educational qualifications stipulated by regulatory bodies concerned. Staff who are working already will be given time to secure required qualifications. Public notification and merit will be made mandatory for new appointments.

Internal assessment committees and Parents-Teachers Associations (PTA) will be made mandatory to ensure quality. A college council to resolve complaints raised by the staff and a committee to ensure safety of women employees should also be formed.

Option for appeal

Although the management will be in control of taking disciplinary action against employees, a teaching or non-teaching staff can file an appeal in the university against such action. The university syndicate will take a final decision on the appeal and it will be applicable to both the employee and the management.

A register carrying details of the appointment, qualification, terms and conditions regarding their service and payment must be kept inside universities. This will help the university use the services of employees for its academic activities. The university will be in charge of overseeing the functioning of self-financing colleges along with their academic performance.