On Teachers Day over 6,000 Punjab college teachers go on mass leave

Over 6,000 Punjab government and non-government college teachers under Punjab Federation of University and College Teachers Organisations (PFUCTO) proceeded on mass casual leave on Teachers Day protesting against the "apathetic attitude" of the Congress-led government towards their long pending demands, including raise in pay scale, on Wednesday.

 "We have been demanding implementation of recommendations of the University Grants Commission (UGC) with regard to the seventh pay commission report. Several states, including Haryana, have given the UGC pay scale to teachers of colleges and universities but the Punjab government has failed to do so yet," General Secretary of PFUCTO, Jagwant Singh said.

Also Read | Teachers Day 2018: History of the celebration in India

The agitating teachers also condemned the state government for not hiring regular teachers in the government colleges.

The PFUCTO general secretary also demanded that the services of 1,925 contractual college teachers who were hired in 2015 be regularised.

"With fresh recruitment not being made, imparting education in government colleges has been hit. Only 30 per cent regular teachers, including professors, have been working in the government colleges," Singh said adding that more than 1,300 posts of teaching staff in 60 government colleges were lying vacant.

Also Read | 10 Bollywood films that celebrate teachers who challenge, motivate and inspire us

"According to UGC guidelines, 90 per cent of the teaching staff should be regular, but in Punjab the situation is different," Singh added.

(With PTI inputs)