SUBHASH MISHRA
Dhanbad, July 19: The Federation of University Teachers Association of Jharkhand (FUTAJ), the frontal organization of all university teachers of the state, has begun its exercise for holding its due election.
In this regard, FUTAJ secretary Prof Raj Kumar visited Dhanbad recently and discussed with the secretary of Binod Bihari Mahto Koylanchal University Teachers Association (BBMKUTA) secretary Dr Himanshu Shekhar Choudhary over hosting polls in Dhanbad.
Since heavy expenditure comes in conducting polls, so no university body is ready to host it. Moreover, Dhanbad is in the centre between Ranchi and Dumka, thus it is considered an ideal place.
The election of FUTAJ is due since 2018. At present, the FUTAJ is headless following the retirement of president Prof Navin Kumar Singh.
The first election of FUTAJ had been held in 2016 in Dumka in which Prof Singh defeated Dr Balveer Singh Sidhu of Vinoba Bhave University, Hazaribagh. General Secretary Prof Mithilesh Singh ( Ranchi University) and Treasurer Prof Rajiv Ranjan (Marwari College Ranchi) had been elected unopposed.
“Of course, the election is due and I want to conduct the election as soon as possible. In this regard I visited Dhanbad to discuss with the BBMKUTA secretary to prepare a platform for the poll,” said Prof Raj Kumar, FUTAJ secretary, who is also president of the Ranchi University Teachers Association.
Prof Raj Kumar said he is not interested to continue on the post and wishes to hand over the charge of FUTAJ to new and young teachers.
BBMKUTA secretary Prof Choudhary, when contacted, admitted that he discussed with the FUTAJ secretary over the poll and made him aware of the situation.
“Whatever responsibility the FUTAJ gives, the BBMKUTA would discharge with sincerity and honesty,” said Prof Choudhary.
The BBMKUTA secretary said that since at present teachers of the university are immensely under the pressure of work such as examination evaluation, question setting and other academic activities, the date of the poll would be finalized keeping all the factors in mind.
Though no teacher of any university has shown his interest for any post of the FUTAJ so far, Ranchi University TA president Prof Rajkumar and secretary Prof Virendra Tripathi, BBMKU secretary Prof Himanshu Shekhar Choudhary and president Prof RK Tiwary, Kolhan University TA president Prof Rajendra Bharti and secretary Prof Angad Paswan, Sido Kanhu Murmu University TA secretary Prof Santosh Sil and president Prof Balgovind Kashyap, Shyama Prasad Mukherjee University TA president Dr Ashok Prasad and secretary Dr Dhananjay Trivedi, Vinoba Bhave University TA president Prof KK Gupta, vice- president Prof S Moitra and secretary Prof Binod Gupta are considered front runners for the post of FUTAJ president and secretary.
The teachers’ body of Nilamber Pitamber University Palamu has been defunct since its president Prof Virendra Kumar joined Allahabad University.
According to FUTAJ ex-president, Prof NK Singh, the teachers of Nilamber Pitamber University never participate in activities of state association. “In 2016 we requested them to participate in the election but they did not turn up,” said Prof Singh.
