College teachers to stage dharna before Parliament from May 16

Mysore, Apr 8 (UNI) The National Executive Committee of the All India Federation of University and College Teachers' Organisations has decided to stage an indefinite dharna in front of Parliament from May 16 to press their long pending demands.

Talking to newspersons here, Federation General Secretary V K Tewari said their demands included restoration of complete pay revision, career advancement scheme (CAS), restoration of professorship in all colleges under CAS as per a 1998 Cabinet decision and due scales for coaches and accompanists.

The Federation also demanded the immediate constitution of the sixth Central Pay Commission and UGC Pay Review Committee, besides grant of interim relief to the employees to the tune of Rs 1,000 per month as per the already accepted formula.

Mr Tewari said the Federation had decided to organise conventions and marches in the five States facing polls in April-May as it was terribly upset over the ''wrong and anti-education'' policies of the Union Government like surrendering to Foreign Universities and large scale privatasation of education being implemented in contravention of the Common Minimum Programme of the UPA Government at the Centre.

Federation Karnataka unit President A M Narahari urged the State Government to regularise recruitments, protect service conditions of unaided teachers based on the principle 'equal pay for equal work', evolve a comprehensive higher education policy and merge 50 per cent of dearness allowance with basic pay as an interim relief to college teachers as directed by the Centre.

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