Indications are some teachers are planning to strike on their own. Science teachers have already floated a separate union while some other teachers are also planning to engineer a split. Or so, teachers who are not happy with the functioning of the association are claiming.

Unfortunately, the association revolves around only one person; Suryakant Shah, who has been its president for the past nearly three decades. While there are allegations that he is running a monolithic administration and does not allow dissenting voices, there are others who are ready to vouch for his popularity.

The association's role came under a sharp focus when Ashwin Kapadia took over as the vice-chancellor in August last year. Shah and the association did not have any problems when Dr B A Parikh was heading the university.The equation changed not because Kapadia took over but because Shah could not. Shah's name was also doing the rounds and he even figured in the list of three names suggested to the governor. Shah is accused of nursing a grouse against Kapadia since then.

In fact, the rivalry between Kapadia and Shah also spilled over to the Syndicate and divided it into two. Shah's group, which was considered to be in majority, ensured that the vice-chancellor could not breath freely.The recent agitation by teachers seeking two-fold hike in assessment remuneration was seen as an attempt by the association to embarrass the university and expose the vice-chancellor to students' wrath following delayed results.

The association refused to call off its agitation even when the Rastogi Commission recommended hefty hike in their pay packets.

Association Secretary D J Vasavada claims that Shah played a major role in ensuring employment security for teachers under Ordinance 69 (A), and getting judicial backing to teachers by helping set up the Gujarat Affiliated Colleges Service Tribunal.

A Kapadia aide, however, debunks the claim saying the changes were effected all over the country at the end of a protracted fight by All-India Federation of University and College Teachers Organisations. SGU would have benefited even otherwise, he says, accusing Shah of not allowing anyone to raise a dissentive voice.

Some teachers criticise the very constitution of the association that it allows one person to become president for as long as he wants. On one hand the president becomes ex officio member of the executive committee and on the other only committee members can contest for the president's post; a provision they say Shah has exploited to the hilt.

Shah has always been winning unanimously except on two occasions, when he won at the end of the election. His continuous run is a pointer to his popularity, says another office-bearer of the association, while his detractors allege Shah managed to see to it that his potential opponents did not contest.

Kapadia reels of names of teachers who are ready to chart a separate course and says the announcement of formation of a yet another body -- in addition to the science teachers' association and SGCUTA -- is in the offing.