SUBHASH MISHRA
Dhanbad, May 27: The curtailment in leave by the office of Chancellor (Governor) has triggered sharp protests from teachers of the universities in the State.
While Sido Kanho Murmu University (SKMU) Dumka teachers have announced to go on mass leave on May 30 in protest against the governor’s order, the Federation of Universities Teachers Association of Jharkhand (FUTAJ), the frontal organization teachers of all seven universities of the State, has sought time from the Governor over the issue.
The Governor happens to be Chancellor of all the universities in the State.
The office of Chancellor has first time issued a uniform leave calendar of universities teachers in which summer vacation, Durgapuja vacation, Autumn ( Diwali/chhath) have been curtailed.
FUTAJ general secretary Prof Rajkumar, who is also general secretary of Ranchi University Teachers Association, said that the curtailment in leave is a serious issue.
“The FUTAJ has sent two letters to the Chancellor office on May 10 and May 18 for appointment but has got no response till date. We are hopeful to get time from the Chancellor to sort out the issue,” said Prof Rajkumar.
In the meantime, the teachers of SKMU Dumka would go mass leave on May 30 in protest against the curtailment in leave.
SKMU Teachers Association Dumka general secretary Prof Santosh Kumar Sil said that the teachers of all the 14 constituent colleges of the university and post graduate (PG) departments are aghast over the curtailment in leave. So they have decided to go on mass leave on May 30.
“We are already protesting the decision from May 22 wearing black badges. We would resort to ‘Pen Down’ protest on May 29,” said the SKMU general secretary.
Prof Sil said some selected persons sitting in the Chancellor office are creating a mess. Leave to vocational teachers has been given under the Jharkhand University Act. “Since the Chancellor is custodian of the university constitution, he can’t do it. We have high hope from him,” said Prof Sil. He further added that non-vocation staff get 33 Earn Leave while vocational staff (teachers) get only 12.
The teachers of Binod Bihari Mahto Koylanchal University, Dhanbad, Vinoba Bhave University, Hazaribagh, and Kolhan University, Chaibasa are also protesting it.
BBMKU Post Graduate Teachers Association general secretary Prof DK Singh said that since leave has been curtailed against the Act, teachers would continue agitation till it is withdrawn. “It is a direct attack on autonomous status of the universities. So, we would lodge a protest,” he added.
