Give incentives to Scientists - PM

India's top sceintists last month rang alrm bells, pointing the steady attrition of scientists from Government institutions to the the private sector.

Responding the crisis Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Wednesday advocated incentivising research productivity of scientist and greater freedom for the bright young sparks.

"We can consider incentive payments related to the research productivity of scientists measured in terms of a variety of criteria" Singh added at a meeting of the CSIR Society on Wednesday. The PM also called for a review of the efficacy of the existing arrangements that provides for handling consultancy project and selling intellectual property right.

"Talent in today's world is very mobile" he acknowledged, noting the "concern" among leaders in the science and technology community about attrition of scientists to the private sector.

The PM's prescription went deeper into problems afflicting research in the country. For, one he made clear that scientists playing the role of administrators at research institutes may not always be a very good idea and suggested "managerial reform" at CSIR as well as other universities.

This also shows growing opinion among leaders and scientific community that Scientists should get some thing special by the Sixth Pay Commission.

Pay Commission started studies

It is learnt that the Sixth Pay Commission has initiated the studies for reaching some conclusion in the pay related matters. Floowing studies are being taken right now:

• Study on Feasibility of Performance Related Pay (PRP)-
• Study on Compensation Package
• Study on Terminal Benefits of the Central Government Employees

The first study is being done by by Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad (IIM-A). It is to be recalled that one of the member of the commission is Prof. Ravindra Dholakia, who is from IIM-A. We will go through these studies in the comming months.

Fill Questionnaire now

As already stated here that Pay Commission has invited public views and a questionnaire has been prepared by the Commission in this regard which has to be filled up and to be send to the sixth pay commision till 31st December, 2006.

This last date is now some days away and those of you have not submitted it till now, kindly fill this form and submit now. If you have a view or you want to express yourself regarding pay related issues then it is a good opportunity. If all of you reply then your voice will be heard in the Pay Commission, otherwise you may miss an opportunity.

National Informatics Centre (NIC) has developed an online version of this questionnaire for the Pay Commission which can be filled up online, this can be filled up in bits atnd peaces and you can take you time to think about any particular question. But you have to register first at the http://india.gov.in portal. You can click on the image and you will be redirected to the online version.

Pay Commission Studying Economic Condition of States

According to the a news article published in the 'Dainik Jagran', the Sixth Central Pay Commission has started an exercise to learn about the fallout of the implementations of Fifth Pay Commission recommendations in the states after getting inputs from the Central Government about this. States got nearly bankrupt after the implementations of the Fifth Pay Commission and Central Government had to intervene and had to help the states to recover from the economical draught.

The Sixth Pay commission is setup to revise the pay scale of the Central Govt. employees only and its recommendations are implementable to the Central Govt. employees only and for those who are under the control of the Central Govt. States are not bound to follow the recommendations of the Central Pay Commission. But by the convention, State Govt. increase pay of their employees on the pattern of the Central Government pay scales. Therefore, Pay commission is alert this time in regards to the implementation of its report by the states.

As per the story, the Pay Commission has asked the states for important information. A questionnaire has been sent to the states in which details of the effects of the fifth pay commission in total and on per years year basis has been asked.

In the questionnaire, apart from the overall impact, expenditure on the pay, allowances and pensions for last five years, GroupWise no. of employees and pensioners in the local bodies, Government and autonomous institutions has been asked. The states are also to tell whether they have made a law for the fiscal deficit or not. The states has to provide position of the balance of the fund, income and expenditure statement and advance analysis of treasury from the year 2007-07 to 2015-16. The pay commission is doing all this exercise to avoid the same conditions at the time of the implementation of the fifth pay commission.

Fifth pay commission was setup in the year 1994 and its recommendations were implemented from the January 1997 and after the implementations in the year 1997, the states face acute shortage of the fund as around 90% of the revenue started to consumed by the pay bills only. In the year 2000 some 13 states were not in position to provide salary to their employees. At that time central government had to help the states financially.

Source : Dainik Jagran

Defence Ministrer wants more pay

Banagalore 22/12/06

Worried over brain-drain, Defence Minister, Mr. A.K. Antony on Friday said the Government will urge the new Pay Commission to hike the salaries of employees of the armed forces and scientists of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO)

It is to be recalled that recently it was disclosed by the Army and Air Force that there is a huge shortage of the officers and those officers in the service are demanding to leave the forces and want to work for corporate. Except for the love to the country and dedication to work directly to the country nothing else is attractive about the armed forces to join. Bright young students of the Universities are joining corporate world for better opportunities and pay packaets.

It is not clear whether Minister wants more pay for Scinetists of the DRDO only or he wants more pay for scientists of all other 500+ scientific organisations.

The statement of the Minister also reflect that somewhere in the Governemnt corridor it has been learnt that to attract best tallent, pay structure and service conditions has to improve.