The fate of thousands of TYBCom students scheduled to appear for their written exams on March 28 remains uncertain as teachers and the state cannot see eye to eye. Though the state cabinet on Wednesday said the government will give teachers their dues, the Maharashtra Federation of University and College Teachers Organisation (MFUCTO) has threatened to intensify its stir.
The practicals of 17,000 TYBSc students could not be held because of the striking teachers. The state cabinet has now agreed to regularise non-NET/SET qualified teachers and also pay them the arrears. “We will send notices to the educational institutions and try to convince the teachers. But if they do not agree, we will look at imposing the Essential Services Maintenance Act against them,” said Rajesh Tope, minister for higher and technical education.
For the regularisation of non-NET-SET qualified teachers, the state has imposed a condition that their service will be considered from the date the GR is issued. In connection with the arrears of the sixth pay commission, Tope said: “We are yet to get 80 per cent of the funds. The central government has asked us to first pay the sum and then get it reimbursed. Therefore, we will be disbursing Rs500 crore in three instalments.”
Tapti Mukhopadhyay, general secretary, MFCUTO, is not impressed. “There is no clarity. How can the government take a decision without talking to us? We will boycott the exams and the teachers will start a jail bharo andolan from March 8,” he said.
