College teachers stage protest over New Education Policy

The local units of the Punjab and Chandigarh College Teachers’ Union (PCCTU) at all colleges, including BBKDAV, Hindu College, DAV College, today organised a dharna-cum-protest rally on the call of the All India Federation of University and College Teachers Organisations (AIFUCTO).

The protest, as shared by unit heads, was a statement against the recent developments in the New Education Policy (NEP), and other academic issues that, according to the teachers, had impacted the teaching community.

PCCTU vice-president Dr Ashish Gupta, at DAV College, said the Central Government’s “authoritarian stance” in implementing the NEP was unacceptable. “There are concerns among teachers that the policy undermines the autonomy of educational institutions and the role of teachers in shaping academic curricula,” he added.

Unit secretary Ashu Vij talked about the adverse effects of the NEP on the workload and working conditions of college teachers. He said the “hasty” adoption of the policy by state governments and universities had led to numerous challenges, particularly for educators.