Guest faculty members block Punjabi University gate
Students visiting the Punjabi University campus witnessed unprecedented scenes in the morning as the protesting guest faculty members closed the gates and staged a sit-in.
They have been protesting since July 16 pressing for the extension of their services for the 2024-25 academic session. The protest saw members staging sit-ins outside the Dean’s office and even climbing the building of the Dean (Academics) officer. The faculty members are concerned about a new notice requiring them to appear for a re-interview for their positions. The members, who have been teaching at the university’s neighbourhood campuses and constituent colleges for several years, fear some of them might lose job despite their long service.
The leaders of the teachers’ union mentioned that the syndicate had already given these guest faculty members 12 months of approval. However, the university authorities ignored this decision and issued a fresh notice for re-interview of the guest faculty members.
The guest faculty blocked the entry of vehicles of the university authorities for few hours. Owing to the heavy rain in the afternoon, the protesters decided to end the sit-in and returned to the Dean’s office.
Union president Gursewak Singh said owing to the notice issued for assistant professors of the campuses, there was fear among assistant professors working in 14 constituent colleges that they might also be asked to appear for the interview for the new academic session.
He said if the university arranged interviews for guest faculty assistant professors, some of them might lose their job despite teaching in the neighbourhood campuses and constituent colleges since 2018. The university has been granting approval to the assistant professors to teach students without any interview during every academic session all these years, he added.
