SURAT, June 3: While some South Gujarat University teachers are learning their lessons fast, others are pretending that they have mastered the art of manipulating the way annual examinations are conducted. However, both have failed in their attempt to twist the university's arms to land more money for a compulsory job.Their failure has already set off speculations on whether South Gujarat College and University Teachers' Association, which represents teachers of affiliated colleges all over South Gujarat, is heading for a split over its stand of holding back answerscripts if the demand for two-fold hike in assessment remuneration is not honoured.
The university administration, especially Ashwin Kapadia -- who many believe is the target of teachers' agitation -- has ensured that by avoiding any discussion with the association it has been able to turn the students against the teachers.
Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad has already decided to create an awareness among students and parents, and take to the streets if the teachers' strike continues.
Also, faced with the prospects of delay in announcement of annual results and inability to secure admissions to other universities, students are angry.Not for nothing that the university has set a deadline of June 5 for teachers to hand over answerscripts. Though the university has issued a request, many are not ready to buy the appeal; for any delay after that deadline will result in delayed results and angered students. Not that results have not been delayed in the past, but never on account of the demand for more remuneration by teachers.
Science teachers who hold a grudge against the association have already floated a separate association and have demanded recognition from the university. While Association secretary D J Vasavada claims the agitation is still on, the V-C continues to play the waiting game. Kapadia is sitting pretty with the change in power equation in the Syndicate following appointment of four government nominees recently. All four are members of ABVP, that has criticised the teachers' move
.According to Kapadia, he is yet to receive details from a couple of universities that would have enabled SGU to compare the rate of assessment. The university does not to want to incur financial burden for no reason, he asserts indicating that the university is not ready to bow down to threat by a few teachers.
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
