Studies may take a hit as college teachers mull strike

Tribune News Service

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Amritsar, December 1

After a massive protest in Chandigarh on November 30, all teachers working in universities, government and private colleges in the district have announced to go on an indefinite strike.

Following the mandate given by PFUCTO and PCCTU to cease all types of teaching and academic work in their respective institutions, teachers from Hindu College, Khalsa College, Khalsa College for Women, BBKDAV College, DAV College, Shazadanand College and other major private colleges have suspended all teaching activities.

The college and university teachers have long been demanding the implementation of 7th Pay Commission recommendations. The unit members also staged dharna in front of the principal’s office and discussed anti-teachers, anti-society attitude of the state government. Area secretary, GNDU, Dr BB Yadav told the unit that the recommendations of 7th Pay Commission have been implemented in all states of India except Punjab. Also, Himachal Pradesh and Chandigarh are bearing the brunt because they also follow the Punjab pattern for implementation of the pay commission. He said the leadership has decided to cease work in colleges and universities totally until the government implements the 7th Pay Commission.

District president, PCCTU, Dr Gurdas Singh Sekhon briefed the gathering and told that in spite of the promise given by the Higher Education Minister regarding the implementation of 7th UGC pay scales and non-delinking of teachers’ grades, no concrete development has taken place in this regard so far. “We have been protesting, holding meetings with authorities for past one year. The callous attitude of the government has forced us to take this step and call for indefinite suspension of teaching and non-teaching duties,” he said. The strike would affect the academic process as the academic session had just begun offline in full swing post the pandemic.