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Members of Federation of Government College Teachers’ Association (FEGOCTA) addressing a press conference at Manipur Press Club, Imphal on January 19. (NNN Photo)
Newmai News Network
Imphal | January 19
Teachers of colleges of Manipur government on Sunday set January 27 deadline to address their demands.
The teachers under the banner of Federation of Government College Teachers’ Association (FEGOCTA) have been pressing the state government to implement the 7th University Grants Commission (UGC) Pay and Regulations 2018.
Addressing a press conference at Manipur Press Club Imphal on Sunday, FEGOCTA announced that if the state government fails to fulfil their demands by January 27, they will launch relay hunger strike from the next day, January 28.
FEGOCTA general secretary Dr N Somorendro claimed that the demands of the teachers had already been approved by the state cabinet in-principle but fails to materialise it till date.
Dr N Somorendro alleged that while the state government is yet to implement the demand for pay structures recommended by the 7th Central Commission, UGC had notified its latest regulations having 7th Pay and qualifications for recruitment and promotion of the teachers in universities and colleges on July 18, 2018. He also alleged that it has been 48 days passed since the state cabinet approved the demands of the teachers, no necessary steps to materialise the demands are taken up on the part of the pertinent authority.
An executive meeting of the FEGOCTA convened on Saturday thoroughly discussed the non-implementation of their demands till date. The decision to launch the strike was resolved in a meeting of the executive committee of FEGOCTA held on Saturday, Dr N Somorendro informed. The meeting unanimously resolved to launch relay hunger strike if no positive response comes forth from the state government by January 27, he added.
As resolved by the meeting, on January 28, teachers will stage the relay hunger strike outside DM College of Science campus and will be followed by similar strike outside Imphal College and Manipur College campuses on January 29 and 30 respectively, Dr N Somorendro also said.
Dr N Somorendro then appealed the state chief minister, the Education minister and other concerned authorities to take up necessary steps in this regard.
If necessary order regarding adoption of 7th UGC Pay and regulations 2018 in the state, the teachers will be compelled to launch intensified agitations above the relay hunger strike, Dr N Somorendro said.
Mention may be made that on many occasions, college teachers had launched strikes only to be suspended after government assurances to address the demands.
