Teachers union calls for state-wide agitation to fill vacant positions
It was highlighted in the press conference that there are total 68,000 approved posts for teachers, but only 18,000 are actually filled by permanent teachers.
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The round two seat allocation will be released on August 19 while for round 3 it will be out on September 6. (File/Representational Image)The Maharashtra Federation of University and College Teachers’ Organisation (MFUCTO) on Monday called for a state-wide agitation to change the clock hour basis (CHB) payment, a system through which more than 50 per cent of teachers are hired in aided sections of colleges across Maharashtra.
Teachers have complained that for many years, there is no upgrade in the number of requirement of teachers in accordance with the increasing number of students. The crisis, according to teachers, has made it practically impossible to effectively implement the academic flexibility recommended under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, under which all colleges across the state are asked to offer four-year degree courses with a credit system, allowing students to create a subject combination of their choice.
Professor Chandrashekhar Kulkarni, secretary of Bombay University and College Teachers’ Union (BUCTU), which is part of MFUCTO, said, “The University Grants Commission (UGC) regulation insists that 90 per cent of teachers in colleges should be regular full-time appointments. But in some colleges, the number of CHB teachers is as high as 70 per cent of the total strength of teachers. How does a college offer multiple subject choices for students when there are no full-time teachers for all subjects. For example, out of six subjects, if there are only two full-time teachers. Who takes responsibility for four remaining subjects to be offered at multiple levels?”
Professor Kulkarni was talking at a press conference held by MFUCTO in Mumbai on Monday. The organisation declared a detailed state-wide agitation plan that will start in August and will continue until the Legislative Assembly elections.
Professor Vasant Pansare from SNDT University teachers’ union, said, “The CHB teachers are hired for nine months from July to March, as per the academic year cycle. As their contracts end in March, they have no guarantee of returning to the same job in July until the new contract is actually signed. How do you expect them to give their 100 percent to the job?”
“Furthermore, even as they are on CHB, there is no relaxation in qualifying criteria which shows that highly educated qualified individuals are working on contract, on a meagre salary of Rs.15000 to Rs.17000 a month when there are vacant positions, which the government refuses to fill,” said Pansare.
It was highlighted in the press conference that there are total 68,000 approved posts for teachers, but only 18,000 are actually filled by permanent teachers. “Out of the vacant posts, proposals were issued for 3,600 posts to be filled in 2018 for recruitment. But even that process has not been completed yet,” said professor S P Lawande, President of MFUCTO.
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