Agitating government college teachers reaffirmed on Wednesday that they will continue the ongoing agitations until orders of 7th UGC Pay and Regulations, 2018 are issued.
Federation of Government College Teachers’ Association (FEGOCTA), in a statement, appreciated the Speaker, the chief minister, the Education ministers and other members of the state Assembly for yesterday’s “serious” discussion on FEGOCTA demands on national policy of UGC. It stated that the government college teachers are in all the 60 constituencies of the Legislative Assembly of Manipur.
As resolved in previous FEGOCTA meetings, the college teachers will continue the present 5th agitations until the orders of 7th UGC Pay and regulations, 2018 are issued, the statement asserted.
FEGOCTA then said it has been requesting the state government to implement 7th UGC Pay and Regulations, 2018 since December, 2018.
Three written assurances given to FEGOCTA by the government to implement UGC policy in pre-Covid-19 pandemic were not fulfilled.
Two cabinet approvals in principle were taken in the pre-Covid-19 time on November 29, 2019 and on February 11, 2020, the FEGOCTA recalled and questioned was the government serious enough to implement national policy of UGC in pre-Covid-19 time in Manipur.
FEGOCTA had submitted a written ultimatum to the government on January 11, 2021 to issue the orders of the cabinet approval by January 27, 2021.
Also read: College teachers remind Jan 27 deadline to Manipur government
The present 5th FEGOCTA agitations are only after the government failed to issue orders by January 27, it added.
FEGOCTA had withdrawn the class boycott from January 28 considering the interests of the students after the opening of the colleges for the first time during Covid-19.
Meanwhile, the series of sit-in-protest launched by the FEGOCTA at different colleges entered 11th day on Wednesday.
On the 11th day, sit-in-protests were staged at different government colleges across the state without affecting normal classes.
FEGOCTA is planning to intensify its agitation from February 12 with a two days mass casual leave which will be followed by indefinite class boycott stir from February 17.
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