CM mollifies PU lecturers, strike withdrawn

The chief minister announced that a committee headed by Primary and Secondary Education Secretary G Kumar Naik will study the demands made by the the teachers. “I have directed the committee to submit its report within 30 days. Government will then respond based on the findings”, Yeddyurappa said.

The Karnataka State Pre-University College Lecturers' Association President Thimmayya Purle welcomed the chief minister's statement. “We will resume our evaluation work from tomorrow itself,” he said.

The last few days have seen PU lecturers hit the streets on account of the disparity in wages between them and PU lecturers in other states.

Earlier in the day, Yeddyurappa held a meeting with top PU department officials at his official residence. After the meeting, Yeddyurappa appealed to the teachers to withdraw their protest and attend evaluation duty.

Meanwhile, the education department has notified the formation of a committee comprising of  Kumar Naik, PU Director, and PU Joint Director.

The committee will look into demands raised by the PU lecturers such as wage hikes, separate pay scale for PU college principals, promotion from PU department to degree college, and institution of grade pay for lecturers.

The committee will submit the report in 30 days after consulting with PU lecturers, and the State government will take a decision based on it.