Appointment row: Employees threaten 'total closure' of Haryana universities if diktat not withdrawn

Tribune News Service

Rohtak, December 20

The teaching and non-teaching staff of the state universities across Haryana have raised a banner of revolt against the government’s move to assume control of appointing assistant professors, top officials and non-teaching employees.

They staged a joint protest in Chandigarh today against the decision to carry out appointments at state universities through the Haryana Public Service Commission (HPSC) and Haryana Staff Selection Commission (HSSC). Calling the order an attack on the autonomy of the state universities, the Haryana Federation of University and College Teachers Organisation (HFUCTO) and the state federation of non-teaching employees warned to shut all universities and observe “total closure” if it was not withdrawn.

They said the government move was also in violation of specific rulings of the Supreme Court and guidelines issued by the University Grants Commission (UGC).

“The move is totally unacceptable and won’t be allowed at any cost. We will shut all universities across the state if the decision is not rolled back,” said HFUCTO president Vikas Siwach.

Several students’ organisations and the Opposition parties also opposed the government’s move to wrest control of the appointments of the state universities.