University College Teachers to Protest Failure of UGC Pay Review Committee on Sep 24

Panaji, Sep 24: In response to the call given by All India Federation of University and College Teachers’ Organizations (AIFUCTO), the University College Teachers’ Association Goa (UCTAG) is going to observe Wednesday September 24 as ‘protest day’. This is to protest the failure of the sixth UGC Pay Review Committee (PRC) or Prof Chadda Committee, to submit its recommendations to the central government on time. AIFUCTO president Prof Thomas Joseph and general secretary Prof Ashok Barman, clarified that the Chadda Committee was required to submit its report by September 6. The leadership of AIFUCTO has repeatedly voiced the sentiments of teachers that the PRC should submit its report within the prescribed time limit. The failure of the committee to submit its report even after implementation of the sixth Pay Review Committee recommendations for central government employees is a matter that deserves serious national concern. The XIth Plan perspective clearly states that inclusive development in a knowledge society is premised on making provisions for quality education for all. The project of quality education for all is closely linked up with the project of attracting and retaining talented teachers in public-funded higher education institutions. AIFUCTO leaders warned that Wednesday would only mark the beginning of their protest. They said that the teaching community will be forced to resort to more drastic actions including going on nationwide strike if the committee fails to submit its report before October 5, one month after the original due date for the submission of the report. As per the decision taken in the executive council meeting of the UCTAG held on Monday September 22, Gurunath Prabhu Khanolker, president, UCTAG, has appealed to all the teachers in colleges across the state to hold demonstrations in their respective institutions and attend classes wearing protest badges.