City college Principals annoyed with Minister

Updated on: Thursday, March 14, 2013

City college principals are annoyed with minister of higher & technical education Rajesh Tope's 'threat' to de-affiliate colleges which refuse to report their teachers' absence from examination work.

The principals claimed that the state government was putting them in a spot, despite a situation that was created due to its apathy towards the teaching community.

The principal from a college in the western suburbs claimed that the matter had reached a point when both teachers and the state government did not want to take a step back. "The government has been delaying payment of arrears according to the Sixth Pay Commission recommendations for long. The teachers have been demanding arrears since last year. After they withdrew their agitation last year, the issue was forgotten by the state. It is not fair that the teaching community is the only one to be ignored when it comes to payment of arrears," said the principal.

Another principal said the government delayed and reacted only when examinations were disrupted. "Now it is talking about drought. But, nine months ago, there was no drought. For the government, the teachers are not tangibly productive. They are imparting education, which is not tangible, that is why the community is neglected," she added.

"By taking such measures, the government is putting us in a spot," said the principal from a central Mumbai college. "We have to work with teachers in future. The government may or may not take action against agitating teachers. Even if it does, the teachers will continue to work with us. They will feel bitter about the college taking an anti-teacher stand when they sought support. It is difficult for us to handle the situation. The government is putting us in a situation where we can either safeguard the institute or the teachers' rights. We do not wish to lose any," said the principal.

The principal of a commerce college claimed they cannot prepare a list of striking teachers as the exams are yet to begin. "Teachers are coming every day and signing musters. How can we compile a list if we are yet to understand the intensity of the boycott in our college?" asked the principal.

City college Principals annoyed with Minister

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