IT News
Imphal, April 8:
In accordance with a resolution adopted during its 33rd Academic Conference, the All India Federation of University and College Teachers’ Organisations (AIFUCTO) has announced that it will stage a massive protest demonstration at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi on April 29, 2025.
In a joint statement, AIFUCTO President Prof. Dr. M. Nagarajan and General Secretary Prof. Dr. Arun Kumar stated that thousands of university and college teachers from across the country, along with various stakeholders in the education sector, were expected to participate in the protest. They mentioned that Members of Parliament and leaders of various political parties had been invited to join the demonstration and show their support.
The AIFUCTO leadership remarked that the protest was a democratic response to what they described as the continued indifference of the Ministry of Education and the University Grants Commission (UGC) towards the longstanding concerns of the teaching community.
They said that the organisation had repeatedly sought dialogue on several critical issues, including the implications of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, restoration of the Old Pension Scheme, recognition of M.Phil. and Ph.D. degrees, provision of advance increments for in-service teachers, dignified service conditions for aided college and self-financed teachers, and the delinking of Ph.D. qualifications from the Career Advancement Scheme (CAS) for promotion to Associate Professor.
AIFUCTO also raised concerns over the UGC Draft Regulation 2025, warning that it could negatively affect the federal structure of the Constitution, compromise academic autonomy, and adversely impact teachers’ service conditions nationwide. Furthermore, they expressed serious reservations regarding recent financial amendments that categorised pensioners into pre- and post-retirement groups.
The federation urged the Ministry of Education to respond to the legitimate issues raised by the teaching fraternity, stressing that continued neglect would not only affect teachers’ service conditions but also the overall educational landscape of the country. While expressing hope for renewed dialogue to resolve these matters, AIFUCTO warned that failure to engage in discussions would compel the organisation to intensify its agitation.
The federation also appealed to teachers and educational stakeholders across India to participate in the upcoming protest in the broader interest of the education sector and the nation.
