Teachers are to hold demonstrations at their respective units, continuing their demand for reforms in the education sector. The federation has planned state-level protests on October 4, as part of the fourth phase of the agitation.
The demonstration follows a letter campaign that commenced on August 31 and concluded on Sunday. The teachers had protested on Teachers' Day by wearing black badges. Despite several requests for a meeting with officials, the AIFUCTO said it was yet to receive a response from the Union education minister or the UGC Chairman.
Their demands include the repeal of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, an increase in budget allocation for education to 10 per cent, and the abolition of NEET, CUET, and other centralised tests. The federation claimed these tests undermined the federal structure of the Constitution and diminished the role of states in the education system.
The federation is also calling for the restoration of the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) and a uniform retirement age of 65 for all teachers. Additionally, they demand that the UGC pay scales be extended to all teachers in grants-in-aid institutions, and the Union Government immediately release its 50 per cent share of the 7th pay revision outlay.
In their list of demands, AIFUCTO urged the UGC to amend the PhD regulations of 2022 to allow research supervisors from affiliated undergraduate colleges and remove restrictions on supervisors nearing retirement. They also sought improvements in the working conditions of part-time, guest, and block grant teachers, among other requests aimed at enhancing the overall education landscape.
The federation’s stance on the Uniform Pension Scheme (UPS), recently proposed by the Centre, was also firm, as it continued to advocate for the restoration of the Old Pension Scheme. They emphasise the need for federalism in education, ensuring that states have control over framing syllabi and implementing reservations for SC/ST/OBC/PWS in higher education institutions.
The organisation is also pushing for a new pay commission for Central government employees and equal recognition for directors of physical education, among other reforms.