Announcing this decision, PUTA secretary A. P. Kulkarni urged the agitating teachers to attend the Independence Day function at their respective colleges and the University.

Meanwhile, the strike was strengthened today with teachers of the computer science faculty at Fergusson College and Poona College joining in. No regular classes and practicals in the city colleges could be conducted for the second consecutive day today.

Prof. Kulkarni said talks were on with the teachers belonging to Pune District Backward Class Teaching and Non-Teaching Employees Federation (PDBCTNTEF) and Dr. Ambedkar Teachers' Organisation of University of Pune (ATOPU), who stayed away from the strike for the second day.

Prof. Kulkarni said a morcha will be organised in the city on August 18 to protest against the government's negligent attitude towards the ongoing strike. The strike call has been given by All India Federation of University and College Teachers Organisations (AIFUCTO) for implementation of pay scales recommended by the University Grants Commission (UGC) on the basis of the Rastogi report.

The Pune University and College Teachers' Organisation (PUCTO), Pune University Teachers' Association (PUTA) and the Maharashtra Federation of University and College Teachers' Organisation (MFUCTO) are supporting the strike.