Assam CM assures solution to polytechnic teachers' job crisis

Guwahati, March 14: The All Assam Students' Union (AASU) has urged Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma to take immediate steps to resolve the ongoing job crisis of polytechnic teachers in the State.

Reacting to the issue, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, in a press conference in Guwahati on Thursday said that after going through the entire matter, he was trying to find some way out.

In a letter to the Chief Minister, AASU demanded a humanitarian approach to regularize the employment of part-time teachers who have been serving in various polytechnic institutions for years but now face termination.

AASU president Utpal Sarma and general secretary Samiran Phukan stated that these teachers have significantly contributed to the academic and administrative functions of polytechnic institutions.

While the recruitment of permanent faculty through a transparent process is welcome, the student body argued that abruptly removing long-serving part-time teachers without any provisions for their future is unfair.

"These teachers were appointed through a process based on merit and qualifications. Many of them are sole breadwinners, and several have now exceeded the age limit for new job applications. Terminating them without a fair policy would be inhumane," AASU stated in its letter.

The student body has called for a special policy to accommodate these teachers, warning that sudden job losses could push many families into severe distress.

AASU has urged the Chief Minister to intervene and ensure a just resolution to the crisis.

Meanwhile, asked about the issue of job termination of teachers in government-run polytechnics, Sarma said that 300 faculty members were recruited to the polytechnics and engineering colleges on a part-time basis in 2017.

"They were paid on a per-class basis. Some of them were later absorbed under some process, while others resigned and left. A total of 67 resigned and 133 got government jobs, while some were taken in under Regulation 3F," he said.

Stating that the polytechnic faculty approached the Gauhati High Court, he said, "If they had not gone to the court, then the matter would have been different. And they got an order against the government stating that they cannot be removed from their jobs. But finally the Gauhati High Court gave a verdict stating that contractual teachers cannot be regularized by the government.

"The high court said that the government has no authority to regularize anyone. In their place, new people joined. Those who lost jobs are Assamese and meritorious and those who joined the jobs in their place are also Assamese and meritorious.

The Chief Minister said that he was trying to find some way out. "Three polytechnics are going to be set up at Hajo, Majuli, and Tingkhong. Those who are eligible could be absorbed on a part-time basis in these new polytechnics depending on the number of vacancies. But they have to finally appear in the exam."

On candidates saying that they have crossed the eligible age to appear for the exam, he said, "If necessary, we shall condone the age. But we all know that anybody working under Regulation 3F loses his or her job if the APSC does not regularize it. So, we shall give relaxation for age. We shall facilitate part-time employment in the new institutes. But finally, they shall have to appear for the exam," he said.

- By Staff Reporter