Exactly one week has passed since the senior college teachers decided to boycott lectures in support of the country-wide teachers' strike at the behest of the central body, the All India Federation of University and College Teachers Organisations (AIFUCTO). Over 5,000 teachers from around 200 city colleges are participating in the strike. However, teachers from government colleges and those belonging to the Maharashtra Under-privileged Teachers' Association have not joined the stir.

A press statement issued by the General Secretary of BUCTU, Dr S M Paranjape, said: ``The joint meeting of the office bearers of BUCTU and SNDT Women's University and College Teachers' Union has condemned the adamant and dilatory stance of the Human Resources and Development (HRD) ministry towards the just demands of the teachers in the latest round oftalks. The BUCTU and SNDT-WUCTU have resolved to intensify the strike with immediate effect through zonal morchas, dharnas and mass contact programmes.''

BUCTU members have already started voicing their protests outside their respective colleges and have been interacting with students and college authorities to drive home their point of view and their demands.

Some students spoken to had mixed feelings about the stir. `While we are pleased with so much free time in hand, since lectures are not being held, we are beginning to get slightly worried, since the strike is stretching too long,'' said S Mishal, a student of St Xavier's College.

Trupti, an SYBA student of Jai Hind College, however, fully supported the teachers' cause. ``I and my friends wholeheartedly agree that the teachers are not paid in proportion to the amount of work they actually put in. We hope that the central government realises its folly and improves their salaries,'' she stated.