College teachers go on hunger strike, demand uniform implementation of 7th Pay Commission

Teachers of BBK DAV College for Women today joined the local unit of the Punjab and Chandigarh College Teachers’ Union (PCCTU) of DAV College, Amritsar, in a day-long hunger strike to protest against the persistent non-fulfilment of their legitimate demands by the college management.

The hunger strike was observed for roll back of autonomous status of HMV College, Jalandhar, and to get Seventh Pay Commission implemented from the DAV College managing committee. Teachers observed six-hour hunger strike to get their long-pending demands approved from the managing committee.

The Central Government had approved the Seventh Pay Commission in 2016. Even after nine years, college teachers are struggling for their rightful salaries. Speaking on the occasion, Dr Seema Jaitley, president, PCCTU and unit head of the college, said, “It is high time that genuine rights and long-pending demands of the teaching community should be fulfilled.”

The PCCTU announced a series of protests across DAV Colleges in Punjab in response to the continued indifferent and discriminatory attitude of the DAV College Managing Committee, New Delhi. Despite earlier symbolic protests organised by the DAV Colleges Coordination Committee, the administration failed to address teachers’ genuine and legitimate demands.

The issues highlighted during the hunger strike, include the arbitrary grant of autonomous status to HMV College, Jalandhar, biased practices regarding the implementation of the Seventh Pay Commission for regular faculty, deductions in CPF on the basic salary of teachers appointed against 1,925 posts, delays in career advancement scheme (CAS) promotions and non-payment of arrears related to the CAS and salary matters in some colleges.

Teachers will also hold a protest dharna at the DAV CMC headquarters in New Delhi on April 29. Additional demonstrations, including a protest at Punjab University, Chandigarh, on May 2, and an extended hunger strike by teachers of HMV College, Jalandhar, from April 30 to May 3, are planned.

At DAV College, Amritsar, unit president, Dr Vikas Bhardwaj and secretary Prof Ashu Vij said, “Teachers are demanding uniform implementation of the revised pay commission, the application of a uniform CPF deduction policy for regular teachers, immediate approval of long-pending CAS promotion cases and prompt payment of pending salaries in some colleges.”