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Punjabi University contractual teachers lift dharna, panel formed to look into their demands
Prof Kirandeep said that the protest was lifted after the university authorities formed a six-member committee, under the chairmanship of dean academic affairs Dr GS Batra.
After 17 days of standoff between the protesting Punjabi University Contractual Teachers Association (PUCTA) members and the university authorities, the dharna has been lifted here on Tuesday.
The protest was lifted after a meeting of PUCTA core committee members with the varsity authorities. The meeting was attended by vice-chancellor (V-C) Prof BS Ghuman, director of constituent colleges (Punjabi University) Prof Kirandeep Kaur, and dean academic affairs Dr GS Batra, among others.
Prof Kirandeep said that the protest was lifted after the university authorities formed a six-member committee, under the chairmanship of dean academic affairs Dr GS Batra.
“The committee will discuss the protesting teachers’ demands, which include full pay scale, special coursework for PhD scholars, and leave requirement issues in the next Syndicate meeting. The next meeting is likely to be held in mid-November,” she added.
PUCTA president Dr Lovedeep Sharma said that the university authorities have agreed to their demands of providing equal wages for equal work by passing a resolution in the next Syndicate meeting.
“If the varsity authority do not agree to our demands, we will sit on a dharna again,” Sharma added.
The protesting teachers, including contractual assistant professors and instructors, have been sitting on a dharna outside the V-C office since October 1.
On Monday, the protesters had launched a begging drive, in which they had asked for ‘alms’ from students, traders and other locals. They had collected around ₹4,700 during the drive.
Over 150 contractual assistant professors and contractors from 14 colleges affiliated to the university, its neighbourhood campuses and the main campus had been protesting on the Punjabi University campus seeking job regularisation.
The Punjabi University constituent colleges are located in Mansa, Sardulgarh, Bahadurpur, Barnala, Benra (Dhuri), Chuni Kalan, Dhilwan, Ghanaur, Ghudda, Jaito, Miranpur, and Moonak.
Meanwhile, taking a serious note of the repercussions of the recently concluded students’ and teachers’ protests, the Punjabi University has banned any type of protest within 300m of the campus, here on Monday.
Registrar Dr Manjit Singh Nijjar said that over a month back, the university had moved the district court, seeking a ban on holding any protest within 300m of its campus.
“We had moved court as the functioning of the university was disrupted due to these protests. To ensure smooth functioning of the varsity, such orders were released,” he added.
