A day after the JNUSU organised the “Education Parliament” at the Jantar Mantar, All India Federation of University & College Teachers’ Organisations (AIFUCTO) and India & Federation of Central University Teachers’ Associations (FEDCUTA) called for a hunger strike at the same venue and closing down of work nationwide, on Wednesday. They demand rollback of Choice Based Credit System (CBCS) and the Central Universities Bill, 2013.
In this regard, the academicians who came together in the national Capital alleged that the Government has a lackadaisical approach towards welfare measures for the teaching fraternity.
While AIFUCTO is an apex body of State Universities and college teachers’ associations of India, FEDCUTA represents teachers’ bodies of 39 Central universities.
“The Government is rolling out new initiatives in the name of reforms in higher education but ultimately these are motives to encourage privatisation and attack autonomy of varsities,” Nandita Narain, a DU professor said. The strike would be conducted in various departments of campuses too.
The teachers demanded that the Government constitutes the 7th Pay review committee of UGC, grant UGC pay scales to all categories of teachers, librarians and other academic staff, expedite promotions and filling of vacant posts to ensure students get access to inclusive quality higher education.
“Both CBCS as well as the Central Universities Bill are well planned measures to open higher education to profit oriented foreign universities and private players as per World Trade Organisation (WTO) stipulations,” Secretary, AIFUCTO, Ashok Barman said.
“The lack of attention towards the demands of academicians and formulation of policies sans any dialogue with experts on subjects is contributing to degradation of education and research sector,” Iqbal Singh Sandhu, professor at Government PG College, Faridabad, said.