Punjab: 6,000+ teachers protest for pay raise on Teachers' Day
On Teachers Day, over 6,000 government and non-government college teachers in Punjab proceeded on mass leave in support of their demands, including raise in pay scale. Under the banner of Punjab Federation of University and College Teachers' Organizations (PFUCTO), the teachers from several parts of the state gathered in Chandigarh today to protest against the apathetic attitude of the Congress-led government towards their demands.
Here is what the teachers are demanding
"We've been demanding implementation of recommendations of the UGC with regard to the Seventh Pay Commission report. Several states, including Haryana, have given the UGC pay scale to teachers but the Punjab government has failed to do it," General Secretary of PFUCTO, Jagwant Singh, said.
Teachers condemn Punjab-govt not hiring regular teachers in govt colleges
Singh said that University Grants Commission (UGC) had already asked the states to implement the pay scale but the state government had not done yet. The protesting teachers also condemned the state government for not hiring regular teachers in the government colleges. "With fresh recruitment not being made, imparting education in government colleges has been hit," he said.
Only 30% regular teachers working in govt colleges: Singh
"Only 30% regular teachers, including professors have been working in the government colleges," Jagwant said, adding that over 1,300 posts of teaching staff in 60 government colleges were lying vacant. "According to UGC guidelines, 90% of the teaching staff should be regular," he said. He also demanded that the state government regularize the services of 1,925 contractual college teachers hired in 2015.
