Pre-University lecturers protest govt 'intervention' in administration in Bengaluru

Bengaluru: Lecturers from state-run Pre-University (PU) colleges assembled at Freedom Park in Bengaluru on Friday to rail against government intervention in the administration of their institutions.

The Department of PU Education recently issued a circular on the appointment of officials from the Department of State Education Research and Training to oversee administration of government PU colleges ostensibly for the compilation of data.

This move on the part of the department has upset the lecturers, prompting them to stage a demonstration to express their opposition.

The protesting lecturers further claimed that the department had proposed an amendment to the Karnataka General Services (PU Education) (Recruitment) Rules, 2013, which, if passed would require them to teach class nine and ten students as well. Pointing out that the cadre and recruitment rules for school and PU college teachers were separate, they said, “High-school teachers are classed under ‘Group C’ in the rules, while PU lecturers are under ‘Group B’. This proposed amendment will create more problems.”

The Karnataka State PU Lecturers’ Association also urged the department against giving permission for new private colleges for the next three years. The association also demanded disbursal of remuneration for teachers for the evaluation of the 2025 second PU exam answer scripts.