Choosing the most vulnerable period - the run-up to the exam scheduled for March 1999 - to strike work, over 35,000 junior college teachers affiliated to the Maharashtra State Federation of Junior College Teachers Organisations (MSFJCTO) say they will stay away from class unless the government effects a revision of pay scales. College principals have naturally expressed deep concern over the agitation's timing.

Rejecting the Sukhtankar Committee's recommendations, which are applicable to all state government employees, the federation is demanding a basic scale of Rs 8,000 and senior scale of Rs 10,000 against the proposed Rs 6,500 and Rs 7,500 suggested by the panel, respectively. It is also demanding the introduction of aselection scale of Rs 12,000 for teachers in the selection grade.They also want the house rent allowance and city allowance to be paid with retrospective effect, since August 1997 and not October 1998 as recommended.

Junior college teachers had last struck work in 1996 to demand upgradation in the criteria for senior grade teachers.Expressing regret, Principal M G Shirahatti of Lala Lajpatrai College, Haji Ali, and president of the Association of Non-Governmental Colleges, which represents about 170 colleges in Mumbai says: ``Though their demands may be justified, the timing is crucial because HSC students will be seriously affected. The deadline for completing lectures is January-end and there will be little opportunity to compensate for time lost since the board exams begin in March.'' If the strike continues indefinitely, the board exams could even be delayed, he says.

Divisional chairperson of the Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education, S A H Abidi, said he would not comment as the boardhas not been intimated by the federation.Principal V Padmanabhan of SIES College, Sion, says: ``I am extremely concerned about the strike. Just recently, we heaved a sigh of relief when senior college teachers ended their agitation''. He said HSC students in the science faculty would be affected most due to a delay in the practical examinations.Sonal Sethi, an HSC student from National College of Arts, Science and Commerce, Bandra, remarks: ``We are certainly worried about the strike since our board exams are approaching.

The strike will only add to our anxiety.''She says some of her own teachers are not in favour of using students as pawns but are helpless since the call to strike work has been issued by the federation. The prospect of an `unscheduled vacation' has brought no cheer to students this time around, with career-consciousness growing among the youngsters.