The Association of United College Teachers (AUCT), Punjab and Chandigarh, has condemned a resolution passed by the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) regarding the alleged unfair implementation of the 7th Pay Scale in colleges under its management.In a statement, AUCT president Tarun Ghai said Resolution No 172, dated January 30, 2026, adopted by the SGPC’s education committee, had triggered widespread resentment among teachers as it introduced “arbitrary and discriminatory” provisions.According to the resolution, aided teachers and principals would receive full benefits of the 7th Pay Scale, while unaided teachers would get the same scale with zero dearness allowance (DA), only 8 per cent house rent allowance (HRA) and no arrears, effective February 1, 2026.It also allows withholding of annual increments in colleges running a deficit of over Rs 50 lakh at the discretion of the SGPC Directorate of Education. Retired staff would be granted gratuity and leave encashment as per the 6th Pay Commission.Jaspal Singh, AUCT general secretary, said the provisions violated statutory norms governing affiliated colleges under Panjab University, Punjabi University and Guru Nanak Dev University, as well as notifications of the Punjab Government and guidelines of the University Grants Commission (UGC).The association said the 7th Pay Commission benefits should be extended uniformly to all teachers, irrespective of aided or unaided status, and should be implemented from September 28, 2022, when it was adopted by the state. It also maintained that annual increments were mandatory and retirement benefits must follow 7th Pay Commission norms.Ghai warned that the resolution would institutionalise discrimination, undermine service security and demoralise teachers. The association has urged vice-chancellors of the three universities to intervene and ensure compliance with university statutes, state government notifications and UGC regulations.On being contacted, former minister and SAD leader Daljit Singh Cheema said that SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami would be the right man to speak on this issue. Despite repeated attempts and messages, Dhami was not available for comments.