Teachers of Government-aided degree colleges, despite being paid handsomely, seem to be resolved not to be in the colleges even for five hours a day.
In order to pressure the State Government to stop it from enforcing the biometric attendance system for the college teachers, the teachers of various Government-aided degree colleges across the State took out a rally from Parade Ground to the Secretariat on Tuesday. They used other demands too, in order to justify their stir. However, the observers said these are being flaunted as the proverbial fig leaf to conceal their real intention to stop the biometric attendance from being enforced. The stir has, as apprehended, adversely impacted the ongoing BEd examination, back paper and regular classes in the colleges.
However, this is not a single day ordeal for the students interested in studies. In view of the teachers' unwillingness to work five hours in the college, the attendance of students and teachers in the DAV (PG) College is dismal. Classes are not being held in the college as scheduled due to the teachers playing truant with their duties. Besides, the students' leaders and the teachers going for stirs at the drop of their hats cast ominous shadows on the academic ambience on the premier college of the State. The refrain runs that the teachers in DAV (PG) College hardly take interest in hosting education-based national and international conferences in the college.
Due to the classes remaining irregular, the performance of the students is poor in the university examinations. Former HNB Garhwal University Vice Chancellor SK Singh had said earlier during the DAV (PG) College convocation that the students of this college rarely secure first division in their degree examination.
The teachers of various degree colleges, including DAV (PG) College, DBS (PG) College and SGRR (PG) College, assembled at Parade Ground on Tuesday. The congregation was followed by a rally they took out that started at Parade Ground and ended at the Secretariat. It was staged under the banners of Federation of Uttarakhand University Colleges Teacher's Association (FUUCTA) and HNB Garhwal University Teacher's Association (GUPA). As the rally snaked past the roads, they shouted anti-Government slogans, alleging the Government keeps sleeping over their long-pending demands. Teachers were stopped at the barricade erected outside Secretariat and they were witnessed excitedly arguing with the policemen on duty. They even seemed bent on breaking thorough the barricade.
Mention worthy, the Uttarakhand High Court had earlier issued directives to the colleges through University and State Government to ensure that teachers are made to stay put in the college for at least five hours a day. Taking cognisance of this, the State Government had ordered the principals to install biometric system in their respective colleges and ensure that teachers are recording their attendance through biometric system. A teacher later filed a PIl in the High Court, challenging the order. The case is still pending.
DK Tyagi, a teacher of DAV (PG) College, said that that their demands include medical facilities, implementation of University Grant Commission's directives related to teachers' welfare and the teachers' representation at the level of administration, directorate.
Tyagi said a delegation of the teachers led by MlA Rajkumar met the State higher education secretary Manisha Panwar. The teachers apprised her of their demands, he said. Panwar told the teachers biometric attendance will not be enforced till the High Court gives its verdict regarding the same. All the teachers will have to give their attendance twice a day in the register books kept in the colleges. According to Tyagi, Panwar has formed a committee to address the teachers' pending demands. Some teachers have also been included in the committee, he added.