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Over 200 colleges in Punjab, Chandigarh to remain shut on Jan 18
In protest against the Bhagwant Mann government’s decision of implementing centralised admission portals and reduction of college teachers’ retirement age from 60 to 58 years
More than 200 aided and unaided colleges in Punjab and Chandigarh will remain shut on January 18 (Wednesday) in protest against the Bhagwant Mann government’s decision of implementing centralised admission portals and reduction of college teachers’ retirement age from 60 to 58 years.
As a result of the day-long strike, the examinations are likely to be suspended.
The decision of the protest had been made by the joint action committee of Non-Government Aided Colleges Management Federation, Three State Universities’ Principals’ Association, Punjab Chandigarh College Teachers Union and Unaided Private Colleges Association.
Non-Government Aided Colleges Management Federation president Rajinder Mohan Singh Chhina said they were forced to take extreme measures after the state government led by Bhagwant Mann failed to address their genuine demands. “The joint action committee is also mulling to close the colleges indefinitely in near future if the government fails to respond,” he added.
He said that they were fighting against government’s “arbitrary and discriminatory decision to implement centralised admission portals and tinkering with the service rules of teachers”.
“Such portal is required when there is a huge rush of students for admissions, but there are plenty of seats available,” Chhina said, adding that many letters sent to the chief minister and higher education minister in this regard elicited no response.
“There is a strong resentment over the government’s recent notification regarding the proposal to fix the retirement age of aided colleges’ teachers at 58 years. The restoration of the full-fledged 95% grants in aid scheme in the colleges is also being sought,” he further said.
