Pbi varsity teachers to go on hunger strike
Already under fire for several controversies, it seems more problems are in store for beleaguered Punjabi University as the varsity teachers have decided to sit on hunger strike for indefinite period from October 9 onwards.
Already under fire for several controversies, it seems more problems are in store for beleaguered Punjabi University as the varsity teachers have decided to sit on hunger strike for indefinite period from October 9 onwards.
Convener of teachers for intervention in education (TIE), Rajesh Kumar, said the decision to start strike has been taken after the varsity authorities had failed to give benefit of previous regular services at other educational institutions during their promotions being employees of university for past several years.
The teachers also handed over memorandum on name of education minister Sikander Singh Maluka and finance minister Parminder Singh Dhindsa to vice-chancellor Jaspal Singh regarding their demands.
Rajesh said, "According to University Grants Commission (UGC) and decision of university syndicate, it is mandatory to include previous regular services of the teachers under career advancement scheme before joining Punjabi University."
"Around 24 teachers were given promotions as per the norms and their cases were later on approved by the audit department. But, despite nod from university syndicate members, deputy controller of Punjab government's local audit department had failed to clear such cases since 2007,"he said.
A member of TIE, Surjit Singh said despite several representations from university authorities, teachers' associations and government had failed to give any instruction to higher education department and audit department to give nod to such cases.
"Due to lackadaisical attitude of state government and audit department, the teachers were finding it difficult to take up their promotion cases,"he said.
He alleged that notwithstanding the rules of UGC and syndicate, main auditor of the university was 'despotically raising unnecessary hitches' in the promotion process of the teachers and giving benefit of previous regular service benefits. The hunger strike will be carried in front of V-C office.