PUC classes to start in May: Faculty oppose curtailment of vacation

PU classes to begin in May instead of June; faculty oppose curtailment of vacation time

Instead of holding classes from end of May or the beginning of June, the Pre-University Education (PUE) department has scheduled early classes this year. It announced that the second PU classes will start from May 2 and the first PU classes from May 15. The department had decided to do away with the 100-day break so that students do not lose touch with the syllabus. The move has the teaching community up in arms, though the PUE department is firm on not going back on this decision.

“This is unscientific and the students and faculty will be burdened by this move. The faculty who are working continuously for various other works of the department and the government will be emotionally stressed as well,” protested Sri Puttanna, member of legislative council (MLC) from the Bangalore Teachers constituency.

“The first PU classes got over on February 21 and the closing was advanced due to the elections in the State. The PUE lecturers were involved in the second PU board examinations from March 18 and up to April 11, the evaluation work went on. Again, from April 16 to April 28, they have the first PU supplementary exams and the department intends to release the result by May first week. This way, the lecturers are continuously working and they have become like no-vacation faculty members,” said JDS MLC Puttanna. Several associations like the Karnataka State PU Colleges Lecturers’ Association have added their weight to the protest by writing to the department.

The PUE department has a response. “In view of assembly elections this year, first and second PU exams were held early. The first PU exams were over on February 21 and so, students have availed vacation of 69 days,” said PUE director, C Shika.

“The classes for second PU begin on May 5. The second PU exams got over on March 17. Summer vacation is from March 18 to May 1. So, lecturers get a vacation of 45 days,” she added.

But, the teachers’ associations claim that lecturers were on evaluation duty until April 11 and the classes should not be opened. “Evaluation is a part of their duty and since they do it on a vacation they are paid a special honorarium of Rs 768 per day,” added Shika. “The associations are requesting that lecturer posts be treated as a ‘non-vacation post’. This can be looked into after code of conduct is over,” she retorted.

Date: Apr 8, 2018

Source: BangaloreMirror