HPU teachers flay order calling them back to work

Strap: Say it is in violation of MHA guidelines, but VC justifies the move

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Officialspeak

The orders have been issued in consonance with the guidelines issued by the state government on May 31 and referred to point 1 which said all offices under the government will remain open on all working days with 100 per cent attendance.”

Prof Sikender Kumar, VC, HPU

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Bhanu P Lohumi

Tribune News Service

Shimla, June 3

The orders of Himachal Pradesh University (HPU) asking the teaching faculty to join regular duty and remain present on the campus from 10 am to 5 pm on all working days has sparked a row.

The teachers have termed the decision as the violation of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) guidelines.

They said as per the MHA guidelines issued on May 30, “Schools, colleges, educational, training and coaching institutions will be opened only after consultations with states and UTs, which may further hold talks at the institutional level with parents and other stakeholders. Based on the feedback, a decision on the reopening of institutions be taken in July,” they said.

Condemning the orders, president of the Himachal Pradesh University Teachers’ Association (HPUTA) R L Jinta said the university had ignored the MHA guidelines, which clearly stated that all educational institutions would be reopened in the second phase of Unlock 1.0, and if there was any mishap, the university would be responsible.

Even state Education Minister Suresh Bharadwaj had stated that a decision on reopening educational institutions would be taken later and as such the Vice-Chancellor should immediately withdraw the orders, said Jinta.

However, Prof Sikender Kumar, Vice-Chancellor, said the orders had been issued in consonance with the guidelines issued by the state government on May 31 and referred to point 1 which said all offices under the government will remain open on all working days with 100 per cent attendance while point 15 stated that the government order is also applicable to the officers, officials, research and teaching faculty working in the universities and research institutions.

He said there was enough research and extension work to do and the teachers could complete pending works, besides updating the data to be sent to the NAAC.

However, the teachers said there were no students and researchers in the university and they would only be made to sit idle.