As a mark of protest against the current educational scenario, teachers across the country have resolved to wear black badges on the forthcoming Teachers' Day celebration which falls on Thursday.
The same was declared by All India Federation of University and College Teachers’ Organisations (AIFUCTO). The release signed by AIFUCTO president, Professor M Nagarajan, and general secretary, Professor Arun Kumar on Tuesday said that teachers will discharge their duties with black badges on Teachers’ Day.
The statement said that as decided by the National Executive Council (NEC) of AIFUCTO in its meeting held at New Delhi on August 4, AIFUCTO launched the countrywide letter campaign from Saturday as the first phase.
It stated that teachers across the country will wear black badges on this day while teaching, participating in functions, etc. It also mentioned that AIFUCTO will support JFME’s Satra-Shikshak Ekta March to be carried out from Mandi House to Jantar Mantar, New Delhi on the same day.
It added that AIFUCTO has been seeking appointments with the Union Minister of Education and UGC Chairman for long but to no avail. It lamented over the deteriorating higher education academic scenario and alleged the central government of remaining a silent spectator on the same.
It listed the programmes resolved as per decision of the NEC, which kickstarted from Saturday across the country in a phased manner. It said that a letter campaign addressing Union Education Minister and UGC, chairman began from the said day and will be held till September 15; black badge protest by teachers on Thursday; Dharna and protests at unit level (in colleges and universities) in September 20; state level convention/ protest on October 4 and protest before Parliament in Delhi in November 19.
It also highlighted AIFUCTO’s stance on UPS declared by the Central government and asserted that it remains steadfast in its demand for the Old Pension Scheme ( OPS). It also underlined 26 demands including to repeal NEP 2020; increase budget allocation on education to 10 per cent; abolish NEET, CUET and other centralised tests.
Demands to stop clustering, merging and phasing out of standalone and single stream educational institutions; restoration of Old Pension Scheme, ensuring uniform age of retirement at 65 for all universities and college teachers across the country; extending UGC scales of Pay and service conditions to all teachers of grants-in-aid institutions of all the states were also included in the list.
It further demanded that the Union Government must disburse the 50 percent share of the 7th pay revision outlay to the state government immediately; persuade the state governments to implement the recommendations of the 7th pay revision in totality; grant professorship under CAS upon fulfilment of requisite criteria, to all teachers in government, and government aided colleges across the country; delink PhD for CAS promotion to Associate Professor and Professor.
It also urged all state governments to implement UGC direction of the extension of date for RC/OC; to fill up of all teaching and non- teaching posts in a permanent and regular mode; to protect secular, scientific, democratic and federal character of education; to set up Eighth Pay Commission for central government employees immediately and to fulfill the various demands included in the list.
