Teacher unions call on Kejriwal, demand resolution of issues

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, December 25

Teachers from colleges and universities across the city organised a peaceful demonstration against the state government at GNDU here on Saturday. Around 200 teachers from different colleges and universities participated in the protest, expressing shock at the non-inclusion of teachers’ agenda in the Punjab Cabinet meeting.

Faculty members from all higher educational institutes joined the protest, hoping for the announcement of the implementation of the 7th Pay Commission and withdrawal of the order of delinking teachers’ pay scales from the University Grants Commission.

The protests, being organised under the aegis of Punjab Federation of University and College Teachers’ Organisation (PFUCTO) and the Punjab and Chandigarh College Teachers’ Union (PCCTU), also entered the 25th day. Despite the mercury plummeting, teachers have been sitting on a dharna outside the GNDU main gate and the university’s administrative block.

In order to push for the implementation of their demands, a delegation of the PCCTU from the district, led by Prof HS Walia, former president, PCCTU, Dr BB Yadav, area secretary, Guru Nanak Dev University, Dr Gurdas Singh Sekhon, district president (PFUCTO), and several others met AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal to discuss the various demands of teachers.

Dr Sekhon informed that Kejriwal assured the delegation that if the next government was formed by AAP in Punjab, they would implement the 7th Pay Commission on a priority basis and would not delink the scales of the university and college teachers from the UGC scales.

Arvind Kejriwal assured them of provision of pension for teachers and improving the higher education system in the state.

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