Teachers to boycott exam duty as JAC gives call for bandh on May 5

Amritsar, May 1

The Joint Action Committee (JAC) of non-government colleges has called for a bandh and massive rally in Jalandhar on May 5 to protest against the implementation of the centralised admission portal for UG and PG courses. The stand has found support from the Punjab and Chandigarh College Teachers’ Union (PCCTU).

Dr Gurdas Singh Sekhon, general secretary, PCCTU, at a meeting held in Amritsar today, announced that the teachers would boycott all examination duties and support the bandh call. District president of PFUCTO and GNDU teachers’ union, Dr BB Yadav, said the intention of the government is being doubted. “The government needs to understand that over the years, the strength of students in colleges has decreased due to mass migration and the number of students opting for short-term courses. Due to less number of students, the economic condition of private colleges has already deteriorated. At such a time, unaided posts and the existing aided posts in colleges should be filled under grants and the portal admission system should be stopped immediately. It is our demand that the government soon set up the Higher Education Authority so that a new dimension can be given to higher education in the state,” he said.

The JAC today shot off letters to the Vice-Chancellor of GNDU, Amritsar, Panjabi University, Patiala and Panjab University, Chandigarh, stating that no principal or teacher will be available for exam duty on May 5. They also announced that they would boycott exam duties in future also. The teachers would also go in for an hour-long sit-in on May 2.

Panjab University, Chandigarh, has already decided not to implement the centralised admission portal.

While examinations in universities and colleges are about to commence from this week, the JAC and teachers’ unions have put the responsibility for any disruption on the government. The college/university examinations over the last three years have been disrupted several times due to the Covid pandemic, teachers’ protests over the implementation of Seventh Pay Commission recommendations and now the centralised admission portal.