Varsity teachers protest pending extension letters

Patiala, March 25

Punjabi University professors have decided to forgo their additional charge over pending promotion letters. Contractual teachers too have started protest over pending contract extension letters, which have been delayed for the last two months.

The university has 160 contractual teachers working on the campus, in various constituent colleges and on neighbourhood campuses, who are awaiting their letters of contract extension. Teachers have also not been paid their salary.

Teachers associated with the Punjabi University Contractual Teachers’ Association (PUCTA), who started the protest on the campus today, said earlier the Syndicate meeting was to be held on March 24, but it was postponed till March 30.

The PUCTA president, Dr Lovedeep Singh, said, “First, issuance of our extension letters was left pending. Later, the university started delaying another Syndicate meeting. Besides, teachers have yet to get their salaries.” The PUCTA general secretary, Dr Dalvir Singh, said, “The financial condition of many teachers is already weak. We will intensify protest if the university administration fails to release teachers’ salary by March 30.” — TNS