Imphal, October 10: Amid tumultuous situation besieging State's higher educational insitutions owing to agitations by students for restoration of normal academic atmosphere and ceasework strike of part-time lecturers, the State Government has annulled services of 466 part-time lecturers.

on the otherhand, reports have been culled of agitations crippling conduct of normal classes even as student unions of various colleges announced intensifying agitation on the issue.

The termination order issued yesterday covers part-timers from 26 out of a total of 28 Government colleges with the service annulment effected from September 27, 2006.As per the termination order, instruction of the University Grants Commission on matters concerning administration of universities and colleges, the Govt of India endorsing the UGC stipulation and supplemented by a recent Supreme Court order and lecturers' defiance to intimation for calling off the current agitation have been cited as grounds to retrench these section of employees.

The termination order also means further depletion of lecturers' strength as only 1051 remain in service compared to sanctioned post of 1260 lecturers necessary for smooth administration of the 28 Government colleges.

Only LMS Law College and HTT College have no part-time lecturers out of the total.

Expounding conditions for issuing the termination order, the Government highlighted that part-time lecturers of Govt colleges were engaged initially for a period of six months or a year as required from time to time on payment of remuneration of Rs 1000 per month which is revised periodically without any sanctioned posts/vacancies.

Moreover, another condition governing engagements of these part-time lecturers pertains to 'liability to be terminated at any time without assigning any prior reason/information to them', the order stated.


Churachandpur district's college students burning effigies to protest termination of part-timers

Referring to the UGC instruction (March 22, 2006) the order issued by the Commissioner (Hr Education) pointed out that all State Governments and Union Territories have been intimated regarding the UGC 'no more in favour of following short term measures of the universities and colleges regarding appointment of faculty on contract, part-time or guest basis, as continuation of these measures on long term basis affects the quality of higher education'.

Consequent to the UGC stance the Centre in its april 18 circulation to state Govts insist that the Centre would not only cease financial assistance to colleges and universities but it (Centre) would also de-recognise such institutions if the vacant posts of lecturers are not filled up before resumption of academic sessions in july/August 2006, the order explains.

Pointing out that existing part-time lecturers of Govt colleges who are over-aged were extended age relaxation criteria to enable them apply to the Manipur Public Service Commission for recruitment to the posts of lecturers in Govt colleges as had been requisitioned by the Commission recently, the order also noted the agitations of part-timers.

Elucidating, it said 'the ceasework strike launched by the part-time lecturers from time to time has seriously hampered the academic atmosphere and conduct of normal classes in the colleges which are not commensurate to the nature of their engagement and remuneration paid to them'.

Another factor cited 'inability' of the lecturers' Association for withdrawing the strike until the Govt revives the State policy regarding retention/regularisation of part time lecturers of Govt colleges which had already been withdrawn through an order dated Feb 28, 2002.A decree of the Apex court on the issue prohibited 'further by-passing of the constitutional requirement and regularising or making permanent, those not duly appointed as per the constitutional scheme', quoted the order.

Reacting to the order, Govt College Part Time Lecturers' Association, Manipur regretted that career of students would suffer enormously as disengagement of these lecturers who had been serving for over 15 years would certainly affect the academic calendar.

A statement of the Association while contending that the order was executed without providing any room for negotiation prevailed upon the Govt to review the termination decision and cautioned that any untoward incident arising out of the issue should be shouldered by the State authorities.

Regarding genesis of the ceasework, the part-timers' body recalled engagement of its members in 1990 to address problem of lecturers' shortage with due compliance to a new scheme of the UGC to commensurate with introduction of TDC courses, to absorb growing number of HSLC exam pass-outs in addition to cater to students' demand for lecturers after 10+2 courses were introduced in colleges.

defunct of the MPSC resulting in total absence of appointment procedures on regular basis compounded by fund paucity of the State Govt and subsequently uprising of the student community have also been cited by the Association for the present mess that ultimately led to crucifixion of the teachers.

Despite the part-time lecturers being engaged due to 'historical necessity' and their service exploited for more than 15 years the termination order executed after unjustifiable allegations against the lecturers is highly irrational and shocking, expressed the Association.

Instead of introspecting inefficiency in handling such an inevitable machinery of the Govt targeting the part-time lecturers as cover-up exercise of Govt failures vividly reflects State's incompetence, the Association opined.

Under no circumstance should the Govt belittle services rendered by these employees whose relentless effort and commitment towards ushering an era of quality education is no less than any regular appointees inspite of comparatively low wages, said the body.

Moreover, it further alleged that these lecturers were forcibly made to sign prohibition them from either opting for service or entailing them to resign from any post held before their engagements.

To highlight their grievances on the current impasse derailing normal academic chores and demanding withdrawal of the termination order, students of DM college of Science today burnt effigies of the Commissioner (Hr Edn) P Bharat Singh and Advocate General Ashok Potshangbam.

Interacting with reporters, student representatives said DMC Science considered to be one of the prestigious higher education institution had been functioning with half the faculty members being part-time appointees among which the newly opened Defence Studies course do not have any regular lecturer.

Ever since the parttime lecturers launched their agitation on September 27, ensuring normal classes in colleges have been out of the question, they informed.

At Churachandpur district headquarters effigies of the Education Minister L Nandakumar and Commissioner P Bharat were torched.

Assisted by 13 part-time lecturers, Churachandpur College still stands short of numerous department and lecturer even today and their termination will further cripple another 8 departments.

Speaking on the sidelines of the protest inside the college campus representatives of part-time lecturers claimed that they were so far denied their legitimate right as the government failed to absorb or regularize their service after five years.

They further demanded that part-time lecturers, some of whom were already serving for the past 14 years be granted service security and better allowance. Burning of effigies, class boycott agitations coupled with declaring closure of their respective institutions have also been reported from Oriental College, Modern College and Presidency College (Motbung).

Highlighting part-time dominated lecturers' composition in these institutes, student unions in separate statements also asserted that class boycott agitations would persist until and unless the Govt revokes the termination order.

It may be mentioned that inspite of an agreement leading to suspension of ceasework strike by teachers of Government-aided colleges some weeks back students have been agitating for release of detained student activists thereby eliminating any scope for normal classes.

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