JOIN USLecturers could be imprisoned for a year or fined Rs 1,000 or given both punishments if they refrain from evaluating II PU answer scripts, as per the notice issued to 18,000 lecturers on Monday.
In the notice, the director of pre-university education warned the lecturers of disciplinary action if they fail to report to evaluation duty.
The notice reads, “...you have violated Section 28 of the Karnataka Education Act, 1983, Sections 3, 5 and 8 of the Karnataka State Civil Services (Prevention of Strikes) Act, 1966, and Rule 106(B) of the Karnataka Civil Service Rules. In view of this fact, you are hereby instructed finally to appear for the work of evaluation of answer sheets and you are also called upon to show cause as to why action cannot be initiated against you for your misconduct. In case you fail to comply with this notice, it would be deemed that you have no cause to be shown and suitable disciplinary action would be initiated.”
‘Will not budge’
Lecturers said they would not be “cowed down” by such tactics.
“Just because they slapped notices against us we cannot budge. No official approached us for discussion on Monday. Our seniors will decide the next course of action,” said A H Ningegowda, general secretary, Karnataka State PU Lecturers’ Association. He said they had 15 days to respond to the notices.
Officials had said on Sunday that all the protesting lecturers would be served notices in phases.
On Monday, they said the coding of answer scripts was finished in four centres and the evaluation would begin soon.