Mumbai: Non-teaching employees protest; Teachers’ associations extends support

The Maharashtra State Universities and College Employees Joint Action Committee, consisting of non-teaching staff members from state universities and affiliated colleges, is threatening to go on full-fledged strike from February 20, 2023 onwards. The staff members are demanding payment of their pending salaries, the filling of vacant positions, and the regularisation of contractual employees.

At present, the Mumbai Vidyapeeth Karmachari Sangh (MVKS), a non-teaching staff organisation at University of Mumbai is staging a protest over the pending demands.

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Many degree and junior college teachers' associations have extended support. On February 7, a meeting was held with leaders from the Bombay University and College Teachers’ Union, the College Karmachari Union, and MLC Kapil Patil. The leaders called for units to support the protest by the non-teaching staff, and the teachers pledged to support the strike by refraining from taking on additional tasks typically assigned to non-teaching staff.

Due to the impending strike, exams that were originally scheduled for February 3 have been rescheduled to February 15. Law exams that were slated for February 4 have now been moved to February 10, and exams for other courses set for February 4 will take place on February 16. The majority of the winter session exams are expected to conclude by February 20.Also Read: Maharashtra: Divyang Vidyapith To Be Formed In The State

Last week, exams for some courses were postponed as a result of the boycott by non-teaching staff. The university received criticism from the state government and the exams resumed on February 6. It's important to note that without the participation of non-teaching staff, exams cannot be conducted. The university has resorted to contractual hiring of people in order to meet the state government's demand to conduct exams on time.