Allow work from home or face stir, warn Punjab teachers

Patiala, May 5

The Punjab and Chandigarh College Teachers’ Union (PCCTU) has decided to launch a protest demanding that they be allowed to work from home keeping in view the surge in Covid cases.

PCCTU president Dr Vinay Sofat said the union had raised this demand with the office of Secretary, Higher Education, but the matter was referred to the Department of Home Affairs instead.

“This despite the fact that Guru Nanak Dev (GND) University, Amritsar, has allowed its teachers to work from home,” he said. Higher Education Minister Tript Rajinder Bajwa had also assured them of permission to work from home, he added.

The union also demanded that monthly grants of colleges be disbursed. “Salaries of over 2,000 teaching and 1,500 non-teaching officials of 136 aided colleges have not been credited after February,” he added.

Secretary, Higher Education, VK Meena said, “They raised their demand with our office. We have prepared a proposal and sent it to the Home Department. The Chief Minister’s office will take a decision on the matter.” He said, “GND University is an autonomous body that can take its own decisions.”

Responding to the matter of salaries, Director, Public Instructions (Colleges), Paramjit Singh said the grants were not disbursed due to changes in Budget allocation. “Some colleges have not submitted the mandatory grant utilisation certificates. Now, we have decided to block the grant of those colleges and will disburse the grants of remaining colleges in a week.” — TNS

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