Contract teachers step up agitation at Punjabi University; association rejects ‘verbal assurances’, demands concrete action on UGC rules and court orders
By Amrit Pal Sidhu #Babushahi Network
Patiala, September 16: The simmering standoff between contract teachers and the Punjabi University authorities intensified on Wednesday as the Punjabi University Contract Teachers Association (PUCTA) locked the Vice-Chancellor’s office after its month-long protest entered the 30th day.
PUCTA has been staging a sit-in outside the Vice-Chancellor’s office at the university’s main campus since August 18, demanding concrete action on issues concerning contract-based Assistant Professors, including the implementation of the UGC Regulations, 2018, and relevant orders of the Punjab and Haryana High Court.
The association alleged that despite 30 days of continuous protest, the university authorities had failed to come up with a concrete solution and were instead adopting a “delay-and-assure” approach.
‘No more verbal assurances’, say protesting teachers
According to PUCTA leaders, the university authorities had called them for talks several times during the course of the agitation. However, the association alleged that instead of giving written commitments, the authorities repeatedly sought to persuade the teachers to withdraw their protest on the basis of verbal assurances.
PUCTA leaders said they were no longer prepared to rely on oral commitments, citing their previous experiences.
The association had warned the Vice-Chancellor’s office on Tuesday that failure to initiate concrete action on applying the UGC’s 2018 regulations and relevant High Court orders to contract-based Assistant Professors would leave it with no option but to lock the office.
Talks fail to break deadlock
The deadlock continued on Wednesday when the Vice-Chancellor and university authorities invited representatives of the contract teachers for another round of talks. According to PUCTA, the meeting once again failed to produce a written decision. The teachers were allegedly asked to withdraw their sit-in on the assurance that their demands would be addressed within a stipulated period.
The association rejected the assurance, maintaining that a promise to act in the future could not substitute for a written and concrete decision.
Vice-Chancellor’s office locked at 2:30 pm
Following the failure of the talks, PUCTA proceeded with its previously announced course of action. At around 2:30 pm on Wednesday, the association locked the Vice-Chancellor’s office.
PUCTA said the move was taken in protest against what it termed the university authorities’ continued delaying tactics. The association made it clear that the agitation would continue until its demands were backed by written decisions and their implementation was initiated.
‘Rights cannot remain confined to assurances’
PUCTA leaders maintained that resolving issues concerning the rights of contract teachers, implementation of UGC regulations and compliance with judicial directions was the responsibility of the university authorities.They said the association remained open to dialogue, but insisted that written decisions and actual implementation—not repeated verbal assurances were now required.
PUCTA announced that it would further intensify its agitation if a concrete resolution was not reached.
PUCTA President Dr. Taranjit Kaur, Dr. Dalbir Singh, Dr. Surinder Singh, Dr. Rajinder Singh, Dr. Gagandeep Singh Talwandi, Dr. Satish Kumar Sardulgarh, General Secretary Dr. Ramandeep Singh, and other contract-based Assistant Professors were present during the protest.