PU boycott: Who will blink first?

The fate of lakhs of students who gave second PU examination continues to hang in balance as neither the state government nor the teachers’ association boycotting evaluation is willing to budge.

Notwithstanding the government’s threats that it will act against the teachers who do not show up for evaluation, the members of Karnataka State PU College Lecturers’ Association and Coordination Committee were getting ready to stage a dharna at Freedom Park on Monday.

Shakeel Ahmed, general secretary of the association, said they would stage the demonstration in protest of the disparity in wages given to PU lecturers. He said they had invited lecturers from Bangalore city and Bangalore Rural district, to be a part of this protest, besides writers and freedom fighters. He said the association wanted an official word from the chief minister that the disparity in wages would be set right, adding that the government itself knew this was a valid issue.

“We don’t know, at this point, how long the dharna will last, but we will bring it to an end if the chief minister calls us for a meeting to discuss our demands,” he said.

Secretary, primary and secondary education, had on Saturday said at a press conference that action would be taken against the teachers who boycott evaluation. Ahmed said that regardless of the warning, the association would go ahead with the boycott.

“I don’t think it will solve anyone’s problems if the state dismisses lecturers,” he said, adding that the teachers were ready to talk to the chief minister regarding the issue.