Wed Dec 31 14:40:49 UTC 2025: Here’s a summary of the text, followed by a news article version:
Summary:
The Kuvempu University Teachers’ Association is protesting the Karnataka State government’s decision to deny Old Pension Scheme (OPS) benefits to university teaching and non-teaching staff who applied for their positions before April 1, 2006. The association argues that university staff should be treated the same as State government employees, who have received the OPS extension. They consider the denial discriminatory, given similar qualifications and the universities’ financial dependence on the State government. The association threatens protests if the government does not reconsider its position.
News Article:
Kuvempu University Teachers Protest Pension Scheme Exclusion
Shivamogga, December 31, 2025 – The Kuvempu University Teachers’ Association (KUTA) is up in arms over the Karnataka State government’s refusal to extend the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) to university teaching and non-teaching staff who applied for their positions before April 1, 2006.
The association argues that this decision unfairly discriminates against university employees, who they say should be treated on par with State government employees. Recently, the government extended OPS benefits to government employees who applied before the cutoff date, as well as to degree college teaching staff, prompting KUTA to question the rationale behind excluding university faculty.
“The teachers in universities and degree colleges have the same qualifications. Denying the OPS facility for university teachers is clear discrimination against us,” stated KUTA representatives.
The association emphasizes that universities, while autonomous, are financially reliant on the State government and operate under its financial guidelines and civil service rules. They cited previous instances where the government has treated university staff as equivalent to State government employees.
KUTA leaders Hiremani Naik R. and Shanmukha A. are urging the Chief Minister and Minister for Higher Education to reconsider their decision, referencing a Punjab and Haryana High Court judgement to support their claim. They have warned that if their demands are not met, university employees will stage protests. The association views the OPS benefit as an integral component of adequate retirement support for its members, and their exclusion could significantly impact their financial futures.
First Piper 