When told that the teachers are required to conduct the upcoming exams, the TMC shot back by asking the college to postpone the exam schedule.
The staff of Parshvanath College of Engineering in Thane is up in arms against the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) after 67 of them were given census duty despite the academic year still being in session.
When told that the teachers are required to conduct the upcoming exams, the TMC shot back by asking the college to postpone the exam schedule.
These teachers are furious because they are the only ones from an engineering college to have got census duty this year.
According to a teacher from the college, teachers from the engineering faculty are rarely included in this kind of government duty.
The college received a letter on April 17 from the TMC asking it to depute 67 staff members for census duty. “We were surprised to receive the order. Engineering exams generally start late. How are we supposed to conduct the exams along with the data collection work imposed on us?” questioned a teacher from the college.
After receiving the letter, the college principal, wrote to the civic body on April 22, requesting it to exempt the teachers as the university exams get over in the last week of June.
The letter also stated that the college has yet to conduct oral, written and practical examinations. However, the TMC officials refused to budge.
Another teacher, on condition of anonymity, said, “The TMC officials were very rude. Some even threatened us with imprisonment for non-compliance. Teachers cannot be treated like that. The examination controller from the Mumbai University has written a letter asking the TMC to exempt us from the duty, but they refuse to listen.”
MB Patil, deputy commissioner of TMC, said, “Once the order is issued, I cannot take it back. Examinations are conducted twice a year, but census is a massive project undertaken once in 10 years. I need huge manpower to conduct it. There is nothing in the rulebook that says engineering faculty cannot be given such duty. The university also contacted me, but I am helpless. They can approach the director of the census.”
The Bombay University and College Teachers’ Union president, CR Sadashivan, said, “I have not heard of any engineering college getting census duty. The municipal corporation cannot allot them work as they are unaided colleges.”
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