Teachers of government colleges in Manipur on Thursday staged a sit-in-protest to resume their suspended agitations demanding implementation of 7th UGC Pay and Regulations, 2018.
The teachers’ strike, however, did not affect normal classes as they announced continuing taking classes even as they resumed the agitation in consideration of the interest of the students attending classes with the reopening of schools and colleges from Wednesday. “We will continue conducting classes during the agitation considering the interest of the students appearing in the semester exams to be commenced from coming April,” FEGOCTA general secretary Dr N Somerendro said.
However, boycotts of classes will be resumed any time if the government fails to issue the necessary orders. The teachers launched the agitation under the aegis of Federation of Government College Teachers’ Associations (FEGOCTA).
Failure on the part of the government to issue orders affecting the 7th University Grants Commission (UGC) Pay and Regulations 2018, the key demand of the teachers prompted the resumption of the agitation. To mark resumption of the agitation, teachers staged a sit-in-protest at the campus of the NG College, Imphal where almost all the leaders of the FEGOCTA took part. Even as the state government had agreed in principle to implement the latest revised pay structures recommended by the University Grant Commission (UGC), necessary orders were yet to be issued, Dr Somorendro alleged. Reminding of the latest deadline set by the teachers’ body, Dr Somorendro said “We have submitted an ultimatum to the chief minister on January 11 setting January 27 deadline”. However, no positive response has come up till today compelling teachers to resume the agitations, he added. He claimed that the state cabinet under the chair of chief minister N Biren Singh, on August 6, 2020, had approved implementation of the 7th University Grants Commission (UGC) Pay and Regulations 2018
Even after more than six months of approval by the cabinet, the concerned state government was yet to issue orders adopting the revised UGG policy dealing with the revision of pay, prescription of qualifications for recruitment, promotion and duties of teachers in the colleges and universities.
The general secretary said that the national policy of UGC was approved by the Union cabinet headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi three years ago.
The failure to implement the same in Manipur on the part of the state government was nothing but a clear neglect of higher education, he alleged.
He further alleged that college teachers were even deprived of complete salary for many years due to denial of SCA and TA.
The decision to resume agitations was reaffirmed by FEGOCTA after no positive response came up despite the January 27 deadline submitted to the government, he said. This time, FEGOCTA will not retreat from its firm stand to continue the agitation until the state government issues the necessary orders adopting the latest revised UGC policy. The general secretary further appealed to the state chief minister to intervene and address the demands of the teachers at the earliest.
