College staff on protest against centralised counselling in Punjab

Jalandhar, June 7

A joint action committee (JAC) of college managements, principals and teachers from across the state started a five-day dharna in front of the district administrative complex here today against the government’s decision to hold centralised counselling for all courses in colleges.

Ajay Sareen, Anoop Watts, Pooja Prashar, Gurdev Singh, Pardeep Bhandari and SM Sharma of the Principals’ Association led the dharna. Five members of the JAC, which included staff from Amritsar-based colleges, started a relay hunger strike.

JAC members said, “Our colleges are not in a position to go in for centralised counselling. This will be a loss to us as we are already facing challenges owing to booming private universities and the inclination of the students to move abroad.”

With a deadlock between the government and the college authorities on for the past one week, over 250 private colleges, including those affiliated with Guru Nanak Dev University, Punjabi University and Panjab University, have been lying closed as the staff had announced to boycott exam duties.

The JAC members said even as the PU had taken a stand not to go for centralised admissions, its staff had joined them at the protest site to express solidarity.