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Battle for LUTA posts unfolds today amid old promises
Candidates’ manifestos push for increasing retirement age of teachers to 65 years, proper system for house allotment and washrooms for women on the campus
LUCKNOW Amid many old promises including those unkept, Lucknow University is set to turn into a political battleground when the Lucknow University Teachers’ Association goes to polls (LUTA) on Saturday with a mixed batch of 39 new and old candidates in fray for 20 posts.
As many as 405 teachers will vote for the candidates of their choice for the posts, including the two prominent ones of president and general secretary. The polling will be conducted between 9am and 3pm while counting will begin from 5pm. The newly elected committee will be sworn in for two years.
The manifestos of various candidates include – putting forward demands of increasing the retirement age of teachers to 65 years, proper system for house allotments, on-time promotions, central university status, increase in cashless health insurance limits, creche facilities and proper washrooms for women teachers, subsidised canteen and PhD increments as per UGC norms.
Former head of zoology department Prof Sudhir Panwar said the teachers’ association once had autonomy.
“The issues raised by most candidates continue to be the same because they have remained unaddressed for years. Their manifestos bring all the issues to light all over again. Teaching, which was once associated with the intellectual class, has been reduced to employment. Many years back, we were promised that the retirement age would be increased to 65 by the government, but even after efforts by teacher bodies, the necessary changes were not implemented. Candidates always fight for better service conditions, but everything has a bureaucratic approach associated with it,” he said.
Ravi Kant, associate professor in Hindi department of LU, said: “Most of these issues are those for which candidates can only send proposals to the government/authorities. However, these issues are the expectations of teachers, so they are highlighted everytime during elections. Teachers vote on criteria like – promotions, timely payment of remunerations, a candidate who stands to safeguard teachers, lawful allocation of houses and administrative positions.”
Some other faculty members had a similar view about the manifestos of various candidates. This year, those vying for the post of president are – Ajay Kumar Arya, Anitya Gaurav and Vineet Kumar Verma. Those in fray for the post of general secretary are – Amita Kanaujia, Bhupesh Kumar, Mamta Singh, Rajendra Kumar Verma and Ram Milan.
