Even as the university examinations are underway, block grant lecturers under 662 and 448 brands have been sitting in a round the clock dharana before the State Assembly since February 9 with the singular demand for full grant in aid.
These lecturers by locking their colleges had started their stir but after an inter-Ministerial meeting under the Chairmanship of Finance inister Pradiip Kumar Amat was held on February15, the lecturers agreed to participate in the examinations by wearing black badges. The panel had promised to sort out the issue on February 25 and requested the lecturers’ representatives to cooperate in the university examinations which have started from February 16.
However, the lecturers have warned if the Government again fails to solve the issue on February 25 meeting, they would disengage them from examination duties and continue their stir. Besides, they have also threatened to boycott the evaluation of answer sheets. 662 college lecturers and employees’ union convenor Golok Nayak said the association is going to organise a candle rally on February 23. Meanwhile, 488 category block grant lecturers’ union has decided to have a huge congregation at lower PMG on February 24. The lecturers of both the associations have boycotted e-valuation training programme on February 22. Similarly, the State Scale lecturers have also threatened to conduct the CHSE examinations by wearing black badges if their demands of eradication of anomalies of 2014 promotion rules, promotion to senior lecturers to reader rank after 18 years of job, conversion of salary from State scale to UGC scale and others were not met. Meanwhile, it is apprehended that the Higher Education Minister is trying to disperse the striking lecturers at any cost without intimating their problems to CM. The agitators have exuded confidence that if Patnaik understands the issue, he would definitely solve it within a short period.