AP high court directs govt to continue UGC timescale for profs in vet, agri universities

Vijayawada: Andhra Pradesh high court on Monday directed the state govt to continue the services of professors under the UGC timescale in agriculture, horticulture, and veterinary universities, even after attaining the age of 62 years. The court passed interim orders as some of the professors who moved the HC are set to retire soon.Multiple petitions were filed before the high court by professors working in Sri Venkateswara Veterinary University, Dr YSR Horticulture University, AP Fisheries University, and Acharya NG Ranga Agriculture University. The petitioners contended that not increasing the age of superannuation from 62 to 65 years on the same lines as that of professors working in universities under higher education was discriminatory and a violation of their rights.A single judge bench of the high court earlier disposed of the petitions with an observation that increasing the age of superannuation was a policy decision of the state govt. The court, however, directed the govt to consider the representations of the petitioners and take an appropriate decision.Challenging the orders, the professors preferred an appeal. A division bench of the high court comprising Justices Battu Devanand and Subhendu Samanta summoned the principal secretary for agriculture, Budithi Rajasekhar, to appear before them and explain why the benefit of increasing the age of superannuation was not extended to the petitioners on a par with other professors in universities under higher education. Rajasekhar told the court that the decision was taken by the competent authority, rejecting the proposals sent by agriculture, horticulture, veterinary, and fisheries universities.The bench expressed displeasure at the state govt for not giving any reasons for the rejection. Though the decision was purely a policy decision of the govt, it should not be discriminatory in nature, the court noted. Suspending the proceedings issued by the principal secretary rejecting the proposals sent by the universities, the HC directed the govt to continue them in service until further orders.