Varsity staff to protest before Prez

President of India Pranab Mukherjee is coming to Jharkhand at the end of this month. On April 30 he will be in SKM University, Dumka as the Chief Guest of convocation ceremony.

The agitating non-teaching staffs of the universities of Jharkhand are planning to protest before the President.

The senior leaders of non-teaching staff association, Jharkhand, who met at Dumka on 15th of April had planned it. Kamal Kishore Prasad, Secretary of non-teaching association, VBU, confirmed it. He said that presently it is president rule in our state and when President himself is coming here then why would we not try to convey our problems directly to him.

Previously the SKM University administration has planned the convocation program on 30th of April but a report of its preponement is also coming. A senior officer of SKMU informed this newsman that due to some changes in president’s program the convocation will be on 29th. When he was asked that whether this change is due to non-teaching’s plan or any other cause he kept mum.

The non-teachings of VBU are ready to take part in the protest program to held at Dumka. This time they are planning to protest with their family members and are ready to go to Dumka 1-2 day before the convocation because they know that administration will try its best to stop them.

Secretary Kamal Kishore Prasad is however hopeful that they will not need to protest before the President. He informed that on 18th of April the Advisor of Governor of Jharkhand K Vijay Kumar is going to meet with VC Dr. RN Bhagat.

Yesterday VC Dr. Bhagat talked with the leaders and then took time from the Advisor. Now the non-teachings are hoping that VC will clearly give their message to the Advisor.

Meanwhile MP Yashwant Sinha has also written a letter to the Governor to intervene in the matter. last month in the meeting with Governor, he had raised this issue and was assured that very soon the deadlock will end.

Kamal Kishore said that we agree with the government’s argument that increasing retirement age limit is not possible under President rule, only an elected government can do it but we do not agree with their claim that revised sixth pay scale has been fixed of more than 80% staffs.

He said that when our fifth pay scale is not fixed then how the officers of education ministry are claiming that sixth pay scale has been fixed. We are only demanding fixation of our fifth pay scale and after giving ACP benefit its conversion into sixth pay scale which can be done within a week.