Teachers' Day protest: Assam University staff demands relief from excessive poll duties

Silchar, Sept 5: On Teachers' Day, a symbolic protest was held by the teachers and staff of Assam University Silchar, drawing attention to the frequent and prolonged election duties assigned to them by the district administration.

The demonstration, lasting one-and-half hours, was conducted in solidarity with a nationwide movement by teachers and students against the same, on Thursday.

The Assam University Teachers’ Association (AUTA) expressed concerns over how these election responsibilities—particularly as Assembly Level Master Trainers (ALMTs) and District Level Master Trainers (DLMTs)—have significantly disrupted the academic calendar and affected the learning environment on campus.

Voicing frustration over the extent of their election duties, the teachers rued how these assignments have kept them away from their classrooms and research facilities for extended periods.

Dr. Somaditya Dutta, AUTA's general secretary, said that such interruptions “damage the academic progress of thousands of students from across India and beyond”.

Additionally, the AUTA criticised the allocation of election duties during the recent Lok Sabha elections, arguing that the roles were “not in line with their job titles and salaries”.

Dr. Dutta also noted that teachers with disabilities and those over 60 were assigned election duties for the Silchar parliamentary seat.

He also called for exemptions for female teachers who are single parents or have young children.

The teachers expressed dissatisfaction with the assignment of high-risk duties, including Flying Squad Teams (FST) and Static Surveillance Teams (SST).

The protest also saw participation from hundreds of individuals, including Assam University’s registrar, Dr. Pradosh Kiran Nath, and Subham Roy, president of the Assam University Students’ Union (AUSU), who both supported the teachers' demands.