The teachers have been joined in by college managements and other non-teaching staff. The strike call has been given by the Joint Action Committee of the Non-Government Colleges Management Federation, the Federation of Associations of College Principals, the Punjab and Chandigarh College Teachers’ Union (PCCTU) and the Federation of Non-Teaching Employees of Punjab.
Students of 170 colleges, who were to take the December examinations on 13, 14 and 15, have to bear the brunt as the authorities had postponed the semesters till the agitation continues. Earlier this month, the teachers had gone on cease work and sit-in strike, besides taking mass casual leave. Jagwant Singh, PCCTU president, said the strike was called after the Punjab government’s failure to accept its demands, including that for implementing an already announced pension and gratuity scheme for hundred of college teachers.
“The Punjab government has failed to implement its own notification of December 2001 on pension and gratuity scheme for teaching staff. Punjab is the only state where college teachers do not have a pension and gratuity scheme,” Jagwant Singh said. The demands also include lifting of ban on recruitment, implementation of revised pay-scales on the basis of parity with those working in government colleges, he added.
The PCCTU has been observing a two-hour strike in all colleges since early November to press its demands. Jagwant Singh said teachers would hold candlelight processions on Tuesday followed by protests outside residences of Punjab ministers and legislators on Wednesday and road blockade on Thursday.
