Non-scientific personnel working in a number of research institutions affiliated to the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) are on a protest demanding pay parity with their peers at the headquarters here. The protest has affected operation of experimental farms in different ICAR labs and even extension services, claimed the Central Joint Staff Council (CJSC), which spearheads the agitation.

Over 1,500 ICAR staff in the Assistant Grade working in different laboratories are protesting against an anomaly that crept in since 2010 at the time of implementation of the Sixth Pay Commission. Other staff from most of 108 ICAR units as well as over 600 Krishi Vigyan Kendras too resorted to the two-day pen-down strike.

“Way back in 1997, a Union Cabinet committee cleared the unification of Grade II (Assistants and Stenographers) posts in ICAR research institutes and that in ICAR headquarters in Krishi Bhavan and a pay parity. While we were given pay parity subsequent to the order, the authorities didn’t merge the cadres,” said Satyendra Kumar, a CJSC office bearer and a staff at the Indian Agricultural Research Institute in New Delhi.

“While we were paid the same salary till 2010, the staff at headquarters managed to get a higher grade for themselves. This is ironic that all Grade-II staff whether working in ICAR headquarter or constituent laboratories are recruited by the same agencies and have similar qualifications, said Shailendra Jha, associated with an ICAR lab in Rae Bareilly.

According to a senior ICAR official, their grievance is genuine but there are procedural problems in getting the issue ironed out. “When we approached the Finance Ministry, it pointed out that the staff at the headquarters have been drawing salary at a higher grade and parity would mean they need to be brought a grade down,” he said. “It is a tricky situation,” he said.

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