The deadlock between the Rajasthan University and a section of teachers ‘regularized’ in 2008 demanding promotion and financial benefits has left the varsity in a state of crisis. The university on Wednesday accepted the resignations of 99 protesting teachers from different academic and administrative posts.
The teachers have been staging a dharna outside the V-C secretariat since April 7. Several bodies of the RU like the flying squad, board of inspection and committees including admission are likely to become defunct due to lack of teachers, claimed teachers. The annual financial budget is yet to be passed by the syndicate, the apex body of the university. The syndicate has postponed its meeting thrice in a week, putting matters related to expenses in jeopardy.
The ongoing undergraduate exams too have been affected by the logjam. Protesting teachers claimed that in the absence of teachers, the university has deputed administrative staff as invigilators at exam centres.
Refuting the claims of teachers, RU V-C Madhukar Gupta said, “All exams are running as per the schedule without any glitch. The department of higher education has provided us with extra staff to meet the requirement. The flying squads too are visiting centres as scheduled.”
Bhupendra Singh Shekawat, public relations officer, RU claimed that the university is filling the posts vacated by the teachers as early as possible.”The proctor board has been appointed and within a day or two vacant posts will be filled.”
The teachers’ strike is also going to delay the next semester as protesting teachers said that they have piles of answer-sheets to check. “We have maintained that students should suffer the least. The ball is in the court of university; if they want they can resolve the issue in hours,” said BD Rawat, president, All Rajasthan Universities Teachers Association ( ARUTA).
The issue may not end soon as the university has decided to file a Special Leave Petition (SLP) in Supreme Court to resolve the long-pending issue. The protesting teachers are now gearing-up to give a tough legal fight in the court.
The state government had regularized 278 temporary teachers as assistant professors on August 5, 2008 after a recommendation by the university’s syndicate. These teachers were appointed between 1984 and 1996. However, the order had mentioned that these professors will not be entitled to any financial benefits, promotions and arrears prior to 2008.
src: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/jaipur/Rajasthan-University-teacher-deadlock-may-not-end-soon/articleshow/19486037.cms