IIT professors on hunger strike

Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) professors across India are on a day-long hunger strike to protest against the non-implementation of the recommendations they have suggested for the sixth pay commission.

This hunger strike comes three weeks after these professors struck work across the IITs for the same reasons.

Though HRD Minister Kapil Sibal promised to look into their demands, there was no response from the minister till yesterday, prompting them to go ahead with a hunger strike.

475 professors of IIT-Bombay are to sit on a day-long hunger strike. Their demands include implementations of recommendations given to government for the sixth pay commission.

The professors seek attractive pay packages to recruit and retain talent and parity of pay and incentives with scientists at DRDO, DAE, ISRO, BARC.

Besides, they are demanding upto 100 per cent increase in gross pay to match pay hike given to government scientists along with scholastic pay of Rs 15,000 per month to compensate the loss of pay while studying to earn a PHD.

PHD is a minimum requirement to be an IIT professor.