Public varsity teachers seek to pile pressure on govt

Agitators to scale up movement for separate pay scales

Teachers of public universities are planning to take advantage of the admission tests, scheduled to be held from October, to accelerate their agitation and press for their demands, which include separate pay scales.
Such a step would impact some eight lakh admission-seekers, who passed the Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) examinations this year.
Besides, around 2,91,690 lakh current students in 37 public universities have already been affected by the on-going teachers’ movement.
Many of their classes and exams have already been cancelled or suspended as a result of work abstention at different points of time.
However, the teachers of public universities who are organising their agitation refused to budge an inch unless their demands, including separate pay scales and restoration of their status, are met.
The teachers have organised their programmes, as part of their movement, since May 14, when the proposed eighth pay scales were announced. The agitation, however, gained momentum when the pay scales were approved by the Cabinet committee, which downgraded the teachers’ status and scrapped the selection grade.The teachers refused to accept the pay scales and began to abstain from work for entire days, including from conducting exams of different semesters, which has affected the academic atmosphere.
Though the government has formed a separate committee to review the disparities in the salaries of the teachers of public universities, they, however, complained that their demands have been ignored in the pay scales.
The teachers are also not happy with the committee as it is headed by finance minister AMA Muhith, since they fear that they would receive a raw deal from a committee headed by him. He had issued disparaging statements about the teachers, allegedly “maligning” them, saying that “they don’t have knowledge and there are instances of corruption in their promotions”.
Criticising the finance minister’s statement, the teachers have refuted such allegations as “false and baseless”. The teachers asserted that they are devoted to their classes and research.
They also said they have taken up various programmes to make policymakers pay heed to their demands, but they did not listen to them. The teachers said they would persist with their movement and have sought discussions with the government.
The teachers also said that they did not want to take any steps that could hamper the academic atmosphere, but added that if their demands were ignored, they would go in for other means, including imperilling the admission tests.
A source in the education ministry said they have talked to the teachers and are hopeful that the impasse in the educational institutions would be resolved soon.

Public varsity teachers seek to pile pressure on govt

Agitators to scale up movement for separate pay scales

Teachers of public universities are planning to take advantage of the admission tests, scheduled to be held from October, to accelerate their agitation and press for their demands, which include separate pay scales. Such a step would impact some eight lakh admission-seekers, who passed the Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) examinations this year. Besides, around 2,91,690 lakh current students in 37 public universities have already been affected by the on-going teachers movement. Many of their classes and exams have already been cancelled or suspended as a result of work abstention at different points of time. However, the teachers of public universities who are organising their agitation refused to budge an inch unless their demands, including separate pay scales and restoration of their status, are met. The teachers have organised their programmes, as part of their movement, since May 14, when the proposed eighth pay scales were announced. The agitation, however, gained momentum when the pay scales were approved by the Cabinet committee, which downgraded the teachers status and scrapped the selection grade.The teachers refused to accept the pay scales and began to abstain from work for entire days, including from conducting exams of different semesters, which has affected the academic atmosphere. Though the government has formed a separate committee to review the disparities in the salaries of the teachers of public universities, they, however, complained that their demands have been ignored in the pay scales. The teachers are also not happy with the committee as it is headed by finance minister AMA Muhith, since they fear that they would receive a raw deal from a committee headed by him. He had issued disparaging statements about the teachers, allegedly maligning them, saying that they dont have knowledge and there are instances of corruption in their promotions. Criticising the finance ministers statement, the teachers have refuted such allegations as false and baseless. The teachers asserted that they are devoted to their classes and research. They also said they have taken up various programmes to make policymakers pay heed to their demands, but they did not listen to them. The teachers said they would persist with their movement and have sought discussions with the government. The teachers also said that they did not want to take any steps that could hamper the academic atmosphere, but added that if their demands were ignored, they would go in for other means, including imperilling the admission tests. A source in the education ministry said they have talked to the teachers and are hopeful that the impasse in the educational institutions would be resolved soon.