FEDCUTA protests 'attack' on autonomy of edu institutions

NEW DELHI: Several university teachers from across the country gathered at Jamia Milia Islamia on Sunday to discuss and express the need to carry forward the united struggle to confront challenges facing higher education in the country.

The Federation of Central Universities Teachers' Associations (FEDCUTA) gave the call to take note of the unprecedented attack on public funded education and higher educational institutions through proposed regulations.

These regulations include the one on graded autonomy, setting up of the Higher Education Financing Agency (HEFA) and the 'draconian memorandum' that the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) is forcing all Central Universities to sign which would force them to generate resources through self-financing courses and students' fee hike.

The HEFA would be jointly promoted by the identified Promoter and the MHRD with an authorised capital of Rs.2,000 crore. The Government equity would be Rs.1,000 crore.

The national executive of FEDCUTA expressed its opposition to the manner in which all these measures are being taken without any consultation with stake-holders.

Members of FEDCUTA also discussed the Seventh pay revision notification for teachers. One of the protesting teachers condemned the fact that for the first time ever, "the government has refused to make public the report of the 7th PRC."

The national executive noted that increments for M.Phil/ PhD have been taken away, and anomalies of the VI Pay Revision have not been settled.