Authorities cannot silence teachers: PUTA

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, February 23

The general body meeting of the Panjab University Teachers Association (PUTA) under president Rajesh Gill today condemned the "suppression of voice of dissent" by the PU authorities.

The PUTA passed a resolution for withdrawing the Syndicate item which is about taking action against eight teachers for complaining directly to the Vice-President, who is Chancellor of the PU also.

Among eight teachers, there is a woman professor also who had leveled sexual harassment allegations against PU VC Arun Kumar Grover.

Prof Akshaya Kumar, former PUTA president, raised the issue of central status of the varsity and said neither we wanted Haryana nor Punjab. "We want the PU to be converted into a central university," he said.

PUTA resolved that the issue of PhD increments due to university teachers must be pursued by the authorities in the same manner and with same zeal in which the personal issues of the authorities are pursued like "the case of Pay Fixation of Registrar, which was got approved despite having been vehemently rejected by the UGC, and for which even the arrears have been released to him".

It also passed that roster system to be implemented immediately, against "Pick and Choose Policy", for appointments to "Inspection and Selection Committees, as Subject Experts and VC Nominees".

The PUTA also approved the resolution of its executive condemning Registrar's misbehaviour against PUTA president Prof Rajesh Gill and called for his apology.