Aided college teachers from Jalandhar and Kapurthala districts on Saturday staged a district-level protest at Desh Bhagat Yadgar Memorial Hall, demanding the prompt resolution of their long-pending issues.
The protest was held under the banner of the Punjab and Chandigarh College Teachers’ Union (PCCTU) where the protesting teachers warned the state administration of intensifying their protest across Punjab if their demands went on to be ignored.
Addressing the rally, union leaders Dr Simranjeet Singh Bains, executive committee member, Dr Shalu Batra, convener of the Punjab Women Wing, and Dr Seema Khanna, joint secretary of the HMV unit, said the government’s carried on delay in addressing the issues had fuelled resentment among teachers.
Aided educators are demanding timely release of salary grants to aided colleges, restoration of 95 per cent grant-in-aid for 1,925 sanctioned posts and payment of the pending Seventh Pay Commission arrears dating back to January 2016. The union also demanded the conversion of self-financed posts into grant-in-aid covered posts, clearance of pending promotions under the Career Advancement Scheme (CAS) and release of supplementary claim arrears for the period from October 1, 2022, to February 28, 2024. It also sought permanent appointments in colleges at present being run by acting principals.
The protest is part of the union’s statewide protest against the government’s alleged apathy towards the demands. The union’s executive panel has unanimously decided to intensify the struggle, with sit-ins already held on November 3 and 4 on college campuses. Saturday’s rally marked the next phase of the protest, bringing together educators from the two districts.
The union leaders urged the administration to resolve the issues without further delay, warning that carried on inaction would leave educators with no option but to intensify their protest throughout the state.
