PAU, GADVASU teachers take out protest rally in Ludhiana

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, December 1

A massive protest rally was organised by the PAU and GADVASU Teachers’ Union outside Thapar Hall of Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) here on Wednesday. Protesting union members are demanding implementation of the Sixth Pay Commission of Punjab. The members said the rally was taken out for the implementation of the pay commission and in opposition of delinking state universities and colleges from the UGC.

In support of demands of university and college teachers, Dr Harmeet Singh Kingra, president, Punjab Federation of University and College Teachers’ Organisations (PFUCTO), started his indefinite hunger fast on the PAU campus. The teachers are demanding that the UGC pay scales should be revised as had been done by all states and the decision to delink from UGC scales be withdrawn. As professor Kingra started the fast, university and college teachers started ‘Education band” across the state.

Addressing the teachers on the occasion Dr Jagwant Singh, general secretary, PFUCTO, said unfortunately, the state government was acting in a “shameless” manner.

“Its decision is in direct contradiction with regulations of the UGC and cannot be contravened by the state government. They are bent upon destroying public funding education institutions as they are hand in glove with private universities. The protest is less about pay scales and more about the future of the higher education,” he said.

Dr Vinay Sophat, president, PCCTU, addressed the dharna and said all teachers should make all-out efforts to win the battle.

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