Profs strike a balance between teaching & agitation in Patiala

Tribune News Service

Patiala, August 10

Online classes for Punjabi University students have started, but professors continue to protests outside the office and residence of the Vice-Chancellor.

While the Joint Action Committee (JAC) comprising university professors and non-teaching B and C class employees is holding protests, demanding timely credit of salaries and increment, the Punjabi University Teachers’ Union (PUTA) also started a protest outside the VC house demanding implementation of written assurances given by the university administration today.

Professors said they were holding online classes and then came to the protest site. Dr Gurnam Singh Virk, Secretary, PUTA, said: “Our time-tables have been made and we are participating in the protest accordingly. We held the protest outside the VC house from 11 am to 1 pm. The university had given us written assurances that the salaries of employees will be credited on time and that the pending arrears as per the promotion of employees will be credited by July 31, but has failed to implement it.”

Dr Bhupinder Singh Virk, member of the JAC and former PUTA president, said the teachers were taking classes and protesting simultaneously. “We are holding online classes and also protesting at other times. Even student organisations want to participate in the protest.”

Dr Virk said the VC was the representative of the state government but had not held any meeting with teachers. “The administration and teachers should together find out ways for managing the university affairs,” he said.