Teachers of five government arts and science colleges in the Puducherry and Karaikal regions will wear black badges while at work from February 16 to 25 to protest against the government’s failure to provide them with the allowances recommended by the University Grants Commission.
A spokesperson of the Pondicherry Society for Higher Education College Teachers Association (PCTA) said teachers of Indira Gandhi College of Arts and Science, Kathirkamam; Perunthalaivar Kamarajar Arts College; Rajiv Gandhi Arts, and Science College; Kasturba College for Women, Puducherry; and Perunthalaivar Kamarajar College of Education, Karaikal, had been agitating for long for the enhanced allowances.
“The government established the institutions with the sole aim of providing Puducherry youth with quality higher education at an affordable cost. As many as 4,500 students are studying in these colleges and the Indira Gandhi College of Arts and Science has been ranked among the 200 best colleges in the country, according to the National Institute Ranking Framework,” he said.
“While the teachers have been giving their best..., the territorial administration has been insensitive to their basic needs and service benefits,” PCTA vice-president D. Ramkumar said.
He said the demands, including time-bound promotion and enhancement of superannuation from 62 to 65, had been pending for long.
The PCTA said the teachers would start a fast from February 25 if there was no positive response.
