Punjabi University Contract Teachers Hold Protest Rally Raise Slogans Against the Administration

Patiala:- The Punjabi University Contract Teachers Association organized a protest rally at the University campus over their long-pending demands. The rally started from the Vice-Chancellor’s Office and proceeded through the Registrar’s Office and the Library before reaching the main gate of the University. From there, it returned to the Vice-Chancellor’s Office, where it concluded. During the rally, the main gate of the University was also kept closed for some time by the union.
During the rally, the contract teachers raised strong slogans in protest against the policies of the University administration and its indifference towards their demands. Teacher colleague Jaspreet Singh Jassi also raised slogans during the rally, voicing the demands of the teachers in a strong and emphatic manner.
Addressing the rally on the occasion, Vice-President Raj Mahinder Kaur, Dr. Dalbir Singh, Assistant Professor Surinder Singh, and General Secretary of the Punjabi University Contract Teachers Association Raman Preet Singh said that contract teachers had been struggling for a long time for their legitimate demands, but the University administration had failed to resolve these demands.
The major demands of the teachers include the implementation of the UGC Regulations, 2010 and 2018, and the implementation of the judgment delivered by the Hon’ble High Court in favour of the teachers. The teachers demanded that there should be no further delay in implementing the High Court judgment and that contract teachers should be provided with their rightful entitlements.
During the rally, the teachers raised slogans such as “Stop your arbitrary decisions,” “Implement the UGC Regulations,” “Implement the High Court judgment,” “Do justice to contract teachers,” and “Long live the unity of contract teachers.”
The rally was also supported by the teachers’ organization and the Punjabi University Teachers Association. Student organizations and PSU Lalkaar also participated in the rally and expressed their opposition to the University administration. Representing the Teachers Association (PUTA), Dr. Sukhjinder Singh Butter addressed the rally and expressed solidarity with the demands of the contract teachers.
At the conclusion of the rally, the contract teachers appealed to the University administration to resolve the issue through dialogue instead of confrontation and to immediately implement the UGC Regulations and the judgment of the Hon’ble High Court so that justice could be provided to the teachers.
The Punjabi University Teachers Association announced that the protest at the University campus would continue until Punjabi University implements the judgment of the Hon’ble High Court and contract teachers are paid the salary due to them in accordance with the UGC regulations. At the same time, a warning was also issued that the agitation would be intensified by gheraoing the Vice-Chancellor’s Office.