College teachers’ associations said issuing orders of cabinet approval of March 27, 2021 on 7th UGC Pay and Regulations immediately is only alternative to avoid disturbances in online classes, examinations
TFM Desk
Federation of Government College Teachers’ Associations (FEGOCTA) on Friday demanded the education minister of Manipur to immediately issue orders of cabinet approval of March 27, 2021 on 7th UGC Pay and Regulations, while maintaining that it is the “only alternative to avoid disturbances in the online classes and examinations after June 30, 2021”.
In a release, FEGOCTA contended that Manipur has created a bad precedent by “forcing” FEGOCTA to its fifth agitations and fourth cabinet approvals on national policy of UGC since 2019.
“Why should the orders of the fourth cabinet on UGC policy not be issued? Let’s all join hands and appeal to the education minister that our college students should continue teaching, learning and examinations during COVID-19,” it said.
FEGOCTA maintained that college teachers are performing their duties during the pandemic from homes. Stating that the UGC policy is an old issue and FEGOCTA has been demanding to be implemented in Manipur since 2018, the teachers’ association asserted that it will not accept COVID-19 pandemic as an excuse and making mockery of the UGC policy adopted in 2017 by the Union Cabinet headed by the Prime Minister of India.
The college teachers association further contended that as experience has shown in the past, the non-implementation of UGC policy would only cause further decline in collegiate education in Manipur.
Maintaining that the political and bureaucratic leadership, political parties and all the stakeholders including students’ organisations have collaborative roles in bringing quality collegiate education, FEGOCTA asserted that blaming and putting all the responsibilities to the college teachers only reflect the attitude towards the higher education in Manipur.
“Why single out the college teachers in the implementation of 7th pay while all other employees are already given since 2019?” it asked.
FEGOCTA also argued that it is a deeper crisis in the society, culture, politics and governance. Without quality education a society will never move towards progress, development, peace and change, it added.