FEGOCTA to take legal recourse
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, November 12 2014: Federation of Government College Teachers' Associations, Manipur (FEGOCTA) has decided to seek legal remedy if the Higher Education Department fails to issue orders to release SCA and TA of Govt college teachers within ten days i.e by November 22 .

This was decided during FEGOCTA's crucial executive committee meeting held yesterday at DM College of Arts, Imphal.

Delay of SCA and TA to the Government college teachers continues for 48 months despite repeated assurances by the Education Minister on the floor of the State Assembly on July 1, 2013, Chief Minister in May 2014 and by the higher officials of Higher Education and Finance Depts, according to a statement issued by Dr N Somorendro Singh, gen secy of FEGOCTA.

It also alleged violation of UGC regulations right from issuing of advertisement and lack of transparency with apparent manipulation and favouritism in the recruitment process of regular Principals.

One of the demands of FEGOCTA has been to appoint regular Principals.

It organized a one day National seminar on UGC regulations on API (Academic Performance Indicator) for direct recruitment of Principals and for promotion of the existing teachers.

The teaching community is seriously concerned about the increasing lack of basic courtesy by a few civil servants of Higher Education Dept towards the college teachers including Principals.

It is unfortunate that the teaching community has been victimised by some officials.

Wrong advice given by few generalist civil servants has also resulted in violation of UGC regulations which has led to arbitrary and illegal orders being issued in higher education in recent times.

Some of the important reasons for the decline in the standard of education and mass exodus of students outside Manipur is the continuous neglect of higher education by the successive Governments due to low budget allocation, failure to appoint regular Principals for over 20 years and generalist officers heading Directorate of Higher Education, not filling up vacant posts of college librarians, teaching and non-teaching staff for decades, lack of modern infrastructure, exploitation of 418 part time teachers for over 16 years, selective implementation/misinterpretation of the UGC regulations, lack of proper coordination among the officials of the Higher Education Department etc, it pointed out.

FEGOCTA therefore demanded that the Government should adopt State Higher Education Policy in tune with National Education Policies/UGC Regulations, specific local needs and for bringing quality and excellence in higher education in the State.

It also decided to organise "Meet The Editors of the Newspapers/Electronic Media and Imphal based Correspondents of National Dailies" on the issues of higher education in Manipur.

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