PUNJAB & CHANDIGARH COLLEGE TEACHERS’ UNION
Dr. Kuldip Singh (M.A., M.Phil., Ph.D.)
General Secretary (Fellow Panjab University) Post Graduate Dept. of Political Science
204, Mahavir Nagar, Opp. MBD Mall, Guru Nanak National College, DORAHA
Fzr. Road, Ludhiana-141012
Ph.Off..: 01628-258560, Fax: 01628-256731
Ph. Resi,: 0161-2551560, Cell : 98555-96480 e-mail:
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Date: 13/11/2012 wishing you and your families a happy and prosperous Deepawali
PCCTU ZINDABAD TEACHERS’ UNITY ZINDABAD
Dear friends it is really a right time to fight against the Punjab Govt. because of its anti teachers and anti higher education policies. In the recent days we have noticed number of good developments which should be hailed by us. Because of the interventions of Honorable Punjab & Haryana High Court, we could get the grants of worth 148 crores which included less grants (arrears of late DA installments and deficit grant) from 2006 onwards, forth quarter grant of 66.83 crores and first quarter grant of worth 44 crores for the financial year 2012-13. In another case of teachers, Honorable High Court directed the Punjab Govt to have the claims of arrears of petitioner teachers within seven days, get it reimbursed from Central Govt within two months and hand over the amount to the managements, who will distribute to the teachers with in ten days. Since the arrears could be reimbursed from the Centre by paying arrears to all the teachers, we hope these will be distributed to the teachers soon. This fact is further verified in the meetings of management federation with CM and PCCTU with Principal Secretary HE which confirmed that amount of 408 crores (aided college teachers share is 195 crores) had been sent to the finance department for its sanction. We have received a information that Punjab Govt. submitted an undertaking in the High Court that we will distribute 30% installment up to march 31, 2012 and remaining in the next financial year. In another case of arrears of Pay Revision of un-aided teachers the estimation of 74 crores is being prepared in DPI Colleges Punjab. In a very significant development High Court directed the Punjab Government to formulate Pension Rules of 1996 scheme by the next date November 26 and failure of which will be treated as contempt of court.(High Court Order is available on our website). Keeping in mind these developments we have decided to launch an agitation and seek cooperation from our constituents of joint action committee.
Dear friends after the successful rallies at district headquarters with collaboration of University Teachers and Teachers of Government Colleges of Punjab under the banner of PFUCTO on August 25 and a successful state level rally at Chandigarh. We demonstrated our strength and vigor to fight against the anti higher education policies of the Punjab State. Though, our strength in the state level rally at Chandigarh on September 05, (teacher’s day to celebrate it as ‘black day’) was not commensurate to our total strength being largest in numbers amongst our constituents yet it was not enough less to demoralize us because in number of units there was a tradition to celebrate the teachers day. The culmination of the historic rally was the invitation of the CM for immediate dialogue which encouraged our morale but the meeting was not so fruitful CM simply promised to arrange meeting with education minister but it could not realized yet.
Meeting with EducationMinister on August 30, 2012: With kind help of Prof Madan (DAV College Bathinda) and Prof Jatinder Sharma (Area Secretary P U) we (Prof J R Prashar, Prof. Jatinder Sharma, Prof. Gurtej Singh Koharwala and Dr. Kuldip Singh) succeeded to meet Honourable Education Minister Sh. Sikandar Singh Maalooka at village Malooka and requested for immediate release of 95% grants and additionality arrears of UGC pay revision.
Executive Committee meeting on September 30 at Lyallpur Khalsa College Jalandhar: The executive committee meeting of PCCTU was held at Lyallpur Khalsa College Jalandar on September 30, 2012 (Sunday). It was an important coincident that date of EC meeting coincided with the retirement of union stalwarts from the local unit of pcctu where District Council Jalandar honoured the unionists Dr Harjinder Singh Atwal (former area secretary GNDU) We express our sincere thanks to Dr Jaspal Singh Randhawa for acceding our request for providing us venue and services of good host. The unit of Lyallpur Khalsa College has a record of laudable services to the PCCTU. We are really thankful to the unit President and Secretary for making nice arrangements.
Office-Bearers Meeting on October 14, at PAU Ludhiana The PCCTU Office-Bearers met under the president ship of Prof. J R Prashar at Ludhiana to assess the situation arising out of the interim order of the Honorable Punjab & Haryana High Court regarding Pension & Gratuity scheme for Teachers of Pvt. Aided Colleges. The PCCTU wholeheartedly welcomed the interim order the Bench headed by Chief Justice A K Sikri. The order directed the Punjab Govt to formulate the Pension Rules which were earlier provided in scheme of 18/12/1996 by November 26 the next date of hearing. The meeting noted with satisfaction that the court has taken a serious note of the evasive and deceptive role the Govt and the court observed ‘we are giving last opportunity to the respondents to deliberate on the issue and inform this court on the next date of hearing about the implementation of 1996 scheme.’ The PCCTU hailed the order of the court and decided to launch an agitation.
Official Meeting with Principal Secretary and Special Secretary Higher Education: A deputation of PCCTU led by Prof J R Prashar, President met Sh. Chander Gaind, Secretary, Higher Education, Govt. of Punjab on sep 18 to discuss the union demands of Arrears of 6th pay commission, delay in grant-in-aid pending since Oct 2011, Lifting of ban on recruitments, Revoke the Security of Service for un-aided posts, arrears of DPEs/Librarians of 1996 pay scales. The deputation was consisted of Dr. Kuldip Singh, Prof J R Prashar, Dr P. S. Gill, Prof. Jatinder Sharma and Prof. Balbir Singh Balli. The deputations were satisfied with the outcome of the discussion. Mr. Gaind apprised the union leadership that grants for 4th quarter of 2011-12 (66 crores) and 1st quarter of 12-13(44 crores) have already been sent to the treasury on 13.9.12 after Finance Department (FD) clearance. A proposal of Rs 148 crores for the annual grant has been submitted to FD. Regarding Arrears of 6th pay commission the proposal for financial allocation of 225 crores has already been submitted to FD. The case for relaxation in condition of Refresher Courses at par with that of govt colleges has already been favorably recommended to FD for clearance. Revocation of Security of Service cover to unaided posts was well received by Sh G. Vajralingam, Principal Secretary; Higher Education who assures the deputation to get it examined sympathetically after a detailed note from the union. The case for arrears of 1996 pay revision of DPEs/Librarians has been favorably recommended to FD and is being pursued. Regarding the demand of lifting of ban on recruitment the Secretary Higher Education agreed to fill the unfilled posts vacated due retirement of a teacher working against a grant-in-aid post. Regarding FD’s 11.09.2012 letter for revival and creation of posts he assured to sympathetically consider the grant-in-aid posts as those of Education Department. In the meantime Management Federation deputation succeeded to meet CM and sought his interventions and worthy CM favorably formed a committee under the chairmanship of EM consisting of Govt Officials and some members of the Management Federation. We met the Principal Secretary HE and EM and requested them to include our representatives in the committee. The union leaders appreciated the co-operation of the education department in resolving the issues and hoped that other pending issues will also be discussed in another meeting.
Punjabi University Area Rally on October 19, 2012: The Union staged an agitation from October 19 by holding its first university wise rally. The first such rally of Punjabi University area was held at Patiala on October 19, the teachers working in colleges affiliated to Punjabi University took mass casual leave and hold rally in front of Central Library, Patiala. Prof. Balbir Singh Bali (Area Secretary) Prof. Avtar Singh Anand Pur Sahib (Convener SGPC Colleges Coordination Committee) Dr Satnam Kaur (Convener Women Wing Pbi Un), Prof. Shamsher Singh Samana, Prof Balbir Singh, Prof Satish Vohra (District Presidents) Prof Jasbir Singh Anand Pur Sahib, Prof Gurbir Singh Mastuana (EC members) and Pr Harmandar Singh Fatehgarh Sahib (Dist Secretary Patiala) cooperated to the organizers to make the rally successful.
Guru Nanak Dev University Area Rally on October 30, 2012: The second such rally was held on October 30 at Amritsar and the teachers working in colleges affiliated to GNDU took mass casual leave and hold rally in front of GNDU Campus at Amritsar. The rally was addressed by our President Prof. J R Prashar, General Secretary Dr Kuldip Singh, Prof Mukhwinder Singh (Vice President), Dr. P S Gill (Co-President), Prof Jatinder Sharma (Area Sec PU), Prof Tejinder Virli (Area Secretary) Prof. H S Walia (Convener DAV Colleges Coordination Committee) and Prof G S Sekhon. The other members of the EC like Pro Sukhdev Singh, Prof Harbans Singh, Prof Vinod Mahajan, Prof Charanjit Singh (District Presidents) Prof A K Dhir, Prof B B Yadav, Prof Gurnam Singh Rasoolpur, Prof Kuljinder Singh, (EC Member) cooperated the organizers to make a rally successful.
Meeting with Secretary Expenditure Oct 26 : A deputation of PCCTU headed by Prof J R Prashar met Secretary Expenditure S. Jaspal Singh and requested him to expedite the file of relaxation in Refresher/Orientation Courses up to June 30,2010 at par with our counterpart teachers of Govt colleges .
Meeting with Principal Secretary H E on Oct 26: With the kind interventions of Deputy Chief Minister Office we were succeeded to get an official meeting with Principal Secretary HE on Oct 26. The deputation( Dr P S Gill, Prof Balbir Bali, Prof Jatinder Sharma ,Prof Iqbalpreet Kaur and Dr. Kuldip Singh) of PCCTU headed by Prof J R Prashar met Sh. Vajralingam ji and requested him to play a role of facilitator in the case of Pension & Gratuity Scheme lying pending in High Court.
Meeting with Education Minister on November 01: Because of the best efforts of our women wing Co-Convener Prof. Iqbalpreet Kaur we were succeeded to get a meeting with Education Minister S. Sikandar Singh Malooka at Secretariat Chandigarh. The deputation of PCCTU (Dr.P S Gill, Prof. Tejinder Virli,Prof Jatinder Sharma, Prof V K Sareen and Prof Iqbalpreet Kaur) led by Prof J R Prashar met the Honorable Minister and requested him to arrange an early official meeting for the redressal of teachers grievances. The deputation also requested him to implement the Pension & Gratuity Scheme. The Honorable Minister promised to arrange the meeting after Diwali.
Meeting with Finance Minister on Nov 02: Our Co-President Dr. P S Gill succeeded to meet Honorable Finance Minister S Parminder Singh Dhindsa and requested him to implement the pension & gratuity scheme and requested him to arrange a meeting with PCCTU deputation. The Honorable Minister promised the meeting after Diwali.
Panjab University Area Rally on November 07, 2012: The third rally was held on November 07 in front of DPI Colleges Punjab, Sector 17 Chandigarh and the teachers working in colleges affiliated to Panjab University took mass casual leave and hold rally at Chandigah. The rally was addressed by our President Prof. J R Prashar, General Secretary Dr Kuldip Singh, Dr P S Gill (Co- President), Prof Iqbalpreet Kaur (Co-Convener State Women Wing) Dr Jagwant Singh (Vice President AIFUCTO), Prof Navneet Batra, Prof Sukhwinder Singh Virk, (Special Invitee) etc. The other official like Prof Hargunjot Kaur (Convener Women Wing PU), Prof Manjit Komal, Prof Gurtej Singh Koharwala, Prof Bhupinder Singh Jassal (District Presidents) Prof Jaswant Singh, Prof Jagdeep Kumar, Prof Vinay Kumar, Prof Braham Ved, Prof Ghanshyam Dev, assisted the organizers to make a rally a grand success. The arrangements of the rally were really nice including refreshments.
Candle Light March at Sec. 17 Chandigarh:In the evening on Nov. 07 to impress upon our demand of pension and gratuity scheme we organized our first candle light march at Chandigarh. A large numbers of teachers including some retired teachers having placard and candles in hands demonstrated silently the crowded one Sec.17 market to receive the attractions of public.
Executive Committee Meeting at Chandigarh: An emergent meeting of EC was held at PU Chandigarh on November 07, to discuss the latest developments on pension scheme and to chalk out future action plan. The EC unanimously decided to extend candle light marches in important cities (Jalandar nov 10, Amritsar Nov 12, Mukatsar Nov 14, Patiala Nov 15 and Ludhiana Nov 16) of Punjab. It was also decided that each members of the PCCTU will send duly signed one post-card to CM requesting him to implement the pension scheme for college teachers. The EC authorized the office bearers to form a joint action committee to fight a common struggle of pension and gratuity scheme. The EC authorized the office bearers that if situation arises they can go for indefinite strike.