AMRITSAR, August 10: The university and college teachers would go on indefinite strike from tomorrow in protest against nonacceptance of the recommendations of University Grant Commission (UGC) by the Human Resource Development (HRD) Ministry, said V.K.Sharma, district president of Punjab and Chandigarh College Teachers Union (PCCTU).In a press statement, he condemned HRD Minister Murli Manohar Joshi for his illogical and arrogant attitude towards the genuine demands of the teachers.He warned that bypassing and degradation of the UGC would not be tolerated by the teaching community.He said the university and college teachers would also hold a protest rally.Patiala: The executive committee of Punjab Government College Teachers' Association yesterday decided to observe an indefinite stay-in-strike from tomorrow.Dr. P.S. Bhatti, president of the association, said here today that all the teachers of 50 government colleges in Punjab would cease work from tomorrow for an indefinite period in protest against the adamant attitude of the Central Government in not implementing the UGC scales.The teachers would not do any teaching work, including admissions, examinations and other works related work to the college administration. The teachers would not take part even in refresher courses, orientation courses and seminars.The association had decided to appeal to the universities to postpone these courses in the light of strike by the teachers and requested the university teachers associated with the courses to dissuade themselves from the same.A daily dharna in colleges would be observed from 11 am to 1 pm in the college premises. According to the president, sub zonal committees had been formed to monitor the stay-in-strike and to give feed back telephonically.Ludhiana: College teachers all over the district would cease work in their respective colleges tomorrow and would hold a rally outside the office of deputy commissioner here to protest against the failure of Human Resource Development Ministry to grant pay scales recommended by UGC for university and college teachers.According to Kanwaljit Singh, district president of Punjab and Chandigarh College Teachers Union (PCCTU), more than three lakh teachers from 9000 odd colleges and universities throughout the country would go on an indefinite strike from tomorrow to lodge protest against indifferent attitude of the government towards university and college teachers.The agitating teachers had took out a protest march to Parliament on July 21 and had observed a day's strike on Aug.4 without evoking any positive response from the government.The PCCTU called upon the government not to play with the sentiments of the teaching community and give up the obstinate attitude in the interest of maintaining proper academic atmosphere in educational institutional.Palampur: Himachal Pradesh Agriculture university (HPAU) teachers Have decided to go on stay-in-strike from tomorrow to demonstrate its solidarity with the AIFUCTO.According to spokesman of the teachers, the community is agitated over the inordinate delay for announcement of UGC recommended scales by the HRD Ministry. The scales are to be effective with effect from January 1, 1996 implying that the teachers have been bereft of the benefit for almost two years which includes sizable interest on the overdue payments.The spokesman also lamented that the concerned minister, who himself was at one time a university teachers had failed to see the writing on the wall. HPAU teachers also submitted a memorandum to Himachal Pradesh Governor V.S. Rama Devi during her visit to the varsity for its onward transmission to the HRD Ministry.
