Jorawer Singh, Chandigarh, August 18, 2009: Punjab University Teachers are all set to get answers on host of issues concerning them before the forthcoming PUTA polls. “But Where is PUTA?” is a common question being asked. “PUTA has suffered a serious crisis of credibility” feels Dr Manjit Singh, Sociology Department, adding with anguish “Teachers are at a disadvantage when they are left to fend for themselves in their own isolate ways.” “Neither CAS nor the payment of arrears seem to reach the teachers for years together” rues Prof. Akshay Kumar, English Department, and questions “Isn’t the entire system putting dignity of the teachers at stake?”
Attributing it to the inapt and callous handling, Prof G S Gill, Geology Department, laments “First the issue of Central University status was allowed to drift beyond reach and now the legitimate demand of implementation of recommendations of Sixth Pay Commission is being pursued rather casually.”
Finding that it is just lack of will to struggle, lack of effort to represent, and just lack of intention to lead, another group of teachers is still hopeful that despite setback, the issue of Central University status is not dead and strongly recommends to jointly pursue the issue of implementation of revised pay scales with due urgency.
After prodding a little, TheIndiaPost.com finds that even most basic issues viz of problems of parking, of delays in processing of applications, of timely repair of houses/ teaching blocs, of recruitment in departments are not being addressed properly.
Proposing a complete transparency in working of PUTA, a young professor who has joined University after leaving a senior MNC job, on conditions of anonymity, said “We all have right to know what our leadership is doing for us and today it is very easy, just a couple of emails and bulletins are enough for the cause, provided one intends to do it and this lack of intention is what puts me off”.