The teachers’ body decided not to boycott classes for the time being in the interests of students. However, it may resort to class boycott any time, if the government fails to issue the orders, it warned.
TFM Report
Federation of Government College Teachers’ Associations (FEGOCTA), Manipur on Thursday resolved to continue all forms of democratic agitations including collective sit-in protests by the government college teachers till the orders of 7th UGC Pay and Regulations, 2018 are issued. But the teachers’ body decided not to boycott classes for the time being in the interests of students.
FEGOCTA held a sit-in cum meeting orders for implementation of 7th UGC Pay and Regulations, 2018 (for all government college teachers of Manipur) at NG College, Imphal on Thursday. Several resolutions were also made after the failure to issue orders of 7th UGC Pay and Regulations, 2018 by the Higher Education Department as per the deadline of January 27, 2021 set by FEGOCTA.
The teachers’ body said it will resort to class boycott any time, if the government fails to issue the orders.
The meeting further resolved to appeal to chief minister N Biren Singh for his immediate intervention in the issue. The meeting raised several questions on the functioning and priorities of the Higher Education Department which even lowered the prestige and honour of the Cabinet headed by the chief minister.
FEGOCTA also resolved to request every government colleges to extend all kinds of support till the common goal of 7th UGC Pay is achieved. All teachers have also been requested to contribute Rs 500 to FEGOCTA Fund to meet the expenditure of the agitations.
Speaking to media persons, FEGOCTA general secretary N Somorendra said that Thursday’s sit-in was the fifth of such protests. Although the Cabinet had already approved it on August 6, 2020, the files have not moved from the Education Department to the Finance Department, he lamented.
Maintaining that it was an “anti-UGC” policy, he urged the chief minister to intervene and let the teachers resume normal duties.
The sit-in cum meeting was chaired by FEGOCTA president A Pishak Singh. Several members of the association also attended the meeting.