Teacher strike set to cripple exams

Examination work across universities and colleges will be hampered owing to the statewide agitation. The teachers will abstain from setting question papers, timetables and conducting practical tests as well as theory examinations.

Maharashtra Federation of College and University Teachers Organisation (MFUCTO) has called for the statewide boycott after the state government failed to meet their long-pending demands.

"If there is no conduct of exams, the question of assessment does not arise. This time, the number of teachers participating in the agitation has gone up as contract teachers are also joining our agitation. We tried all peaceful means to get our demands met," said Tapati Mukhopadhyay, senior member of MFUCTO.

A 13-point charter of demands was submitted to CM Prithviraj Chavan, Governor K Sankaranarayanan and the higher and technical education department in January.

A copy of the charter was submitted to Mumbai University by Bombay University and College Teachers Union (BUCTU).

"We have met the ministers and university officials over and over again. However, they have not moved. We are left with no option but to protest. The state government is responsible for this," said Madhu Paranjape, secretary of BUCTU.

The key demands include regularising NET/SET-affected teachers appointed between 1991 and 2000 and payment of 80% arrears under the sixth pay commission.

Last year, too, college and university teachers had boycotted exams and crippled evaluation work which led to delay in declaration of results. The teachers resumed work after the state government promised to pay cash component of their arrears in two installments — Rs 436 crore was to be sanctioned in June 2012 and the second installment of the same amount was to be given in April 2013.

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