Excess teachers, no vacancies

This order was apparently issued earlier last month, when it became clear that there are over 1500 surplus teachers in most colleges in the state either due to lack of students or on account of closure of divisions.

“The government’s intention to first absorb these 1500 teachers in other colleges with vacancies is noble, but they are not quickly carrying out the task, because of which 43 colleges have still not got the NOC from the authorities. Hence, the concerned lectures have still not begun,” said the president of Association of Non-Government Colleges, principal M G Shirahatti. He added 43 city colleges are still waiting to get an NO C and appoint teachers.

Member of Bombay University College Teachers Union (BUCTU), Professor C R Sadashivan, said: “It’s been over one-and-a-half months since the colleges opened, yet many vacancies remain unfilled due to arbitrary government action.”

Sadashivan added that many surplus teachers also fear they will be transferred to out-station colleges in Maharashtra. “Recently, many surplus teachers from Marathwada met State Finance Minister Eknath Khadse to stay their transfers to other cities lest it ruins their family life. The problem of surplus teachers is growing as students do not opt for some of the subjects,” he informed.

In 1995-96, there were reportedly 600 surplus teachers in the state, but the government had to pay them a total of Rs nine crore per annum as they were permanent teachers.

However, the principal secretary of higher and technical education, Navjeevan L Lakhanpal, told Express Newsline: “In Mumbai there are just about 100 surplus teachers and we are trying our best to accommodate them in the city itself as soon as possible.”

He added the problem of surplus teachers is growing due to changing trends for example, commerce is not a popular stream in rural areas, though it is the most coveted in cities. “Hence, many commerce teachers are rendered surplus in small towns and districts, and the state has to accommodate them elsewhere,” said Lakhanpal.

Principal D B Kadam of Bhavan’s College (Andheri) said the concerned authorities are asking colleges to appoint teachers on an ad hoc basis, though this will go against the lecturers as it is only a temporary arrangement and does not fall under the pension scheme.

Reportedly, in subjects like Sanskrit, Gujarati and Pali, where there is extreme shortage of students, the state is also thinking of clubbing the concerned students in one college to increase class strength.

e¬Ut› 9¼Tt›the playground just behind the maidan. The day will begin with prabhat pheris led by noted Gandhian Usha Mehta and others which will begin from the Tilak statue at Chowpatty, wend its way through Mani Bhavan and end at the Martyrs’ Memorial in the maidan. “One thousand students will join the pheris and there will be 62 simultaneous such prabhat pheris all over Mumbai. In all 1.5 lakh students are expected to take part in this,” says Navalkar.

To lend an original flavour, songs of the relevant era have also been culled and incorporated. At 11.45 am, another play, Azadi ki jung will be staged at the Y B Chavan Pratisthan at Nariman Point by the Rashtra Seva Dal. Hitches however remain. Only six freedom fighters in the entire country, for example, are to be felicitated by the government though the candidates have not been shortlisted. Other questions too need answers. Who will hoist the flag in the evening in the august gathering? When will the invitations by courier go? Will chaos in handling VIP conveyance be avoided? And perhaps one of the main anxieties, will it rain that day? “We are doing our best to make it a water and sound-proof mandap. Our programme will be lost if the rains make a din,” observes Navalkar.