Teachers to launch agitation over UGC pay review report

New Delhi, March 31 (IANS) The apex organisation of teachers in the country on Friday announced that it would launch the countrywide agitation in April to press its demand for the Seventh University Grants Commission (UGC) Pay Review Committee report.

"The unprecedented secrecy on the report by the government of India is creating a great confusion among the teachers fraternity of university and colleges," All India Federation of University and College Teachers' Organisations (Aifucto) General Secretary Arun Kumar said.

He added that despite its repeated efforts, the federation has failed to get the report made public.

The report was submitted by the UGC to the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) on February 22.

"It is a matter of deep regret that neither the UGC nor the MHRD had any dialogue with the largest teachers' body of the country," he said.

Kumar said the teachers' organisation has been deprived of the opportunity to view the entire report so far.

"In spite of repeated requests for discussion with the MHRD, no response has been received as yet. This is in gross violation of established and transparent democratic practices by previous governments," said Kumar.

The Aifucto said it was forced to resort to agitation because of the Centre's "autocratic manner" and "callous and apathetic" approach towards the teachers community.

Besides launcing a countrywide campaign to send letters to the MHRD and the UGC in the first week of April, the Aifucto will observe a "Demand Day" on April 19 throughout the country.

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