The South Gujarat University and College Teachers' Association, whose executive committee met on Sunday evening, has given the authorities till May 8 to open a dialogue with them or face the protest.

According to association secretary D J Vasavada, 28 of the 37 members of the executive committee attended the Sunday meeting and endorsed the resolution seeking a remuneration hike, passed at the Bharuch convention last month.Though not all teachers had received the answer-sheets for assessment, those who had would not give up them up to the moderaters -- as was the norm -- but would those keep them with them, Vasavada said, adding that this would hold up the entire assessment process and, consequently, the announcement of results.

Though the teachers had not considered boycotting assessment altogether at this juncture, the future course of action would be decided after holding a meeting with Vice-Chancellor Ashwin Kapadia, he added.

Kapadia, on his part, had claimed that he had not received the teachers' memorandum demanding a hike in remuneration, so there was no question of considering it. The SGCUTA, however, said it had proof of delivery of the memo to the V-C's personal assistant. Moreover, it said, association treasurer K K Desai spoke to Kapadia over the phone giving details of the teachers' demand.

Another copy of their memorandum would be handed over Kapadia on Monday, Vasavada said, adding that he was hopeful the university would consider their demand.

The association had earlier given the university time till April 29 for across-the-table talks but pushed back the deadline to May 8.

While SGU teachers received Rs 2.50 per answer-script, their counterparts in other universities earned between Rs 3.50 and Rs 4 per paper, the SGCUTA said, claiming that their remuneration rates had not been revised for a decade. The university, however, maintains that the rates were increased in 1995.

The teachers further stated that they had not been remunerated for the assessment of the answer-scripts of the last six examinations. They also demanded that post-graduate teachers be paid their travelling and dearness allowances, which they said, hadn't been paid for the last three years and now amounted to more than Rs 3 lakhs.