All India Federation of University and College Teachers’ Organisations (AIFUCTO), staged a nationwide demonstration across the country on Friday against the alleged anti-education attitude of the Central government and UGC as the third phase of its movement.
AIFUCTO had already called a nationwide protest on the day of Teachers’ Day, September 5 by wearing black badges while discharging their normal duties, protesting against the current educational scenario, stated a release.
Many letters from units of AIFUCTO across the country have been sent to the Union Education Minister and the chairman, UGC urging them to talk with AIFUCTO for addressing the demands, it mentioned.
AIFUCTO has been seeking appointments with the Union Minister of Education and UGC chairman for a very long time but in vain. In the meanwhile, the higher education academic scenario has gone from bad to worse while the central government maintained stoic silence on the subject as if everything is under control, it added.
As decided by its National Executive Council (NEC), all the state affiliates are set to organise state level conventions on October 4, as Fourth Phase of the movement, it stated.
AIFUCTO also raised a list of demands including, to repeal NEP 2020, increase budget allocation on education to 10 per cent, abolish NEET, CUET and other centralised tests that undemocratically minimize the role of states and also undermine the federal structure of the Constitution, restoration of Old Pension Scheme, ensure uniform age of retirement at 65 for all universities and college teachers across the country along with the set up of eighth pay commission for central government employees.
