JU zero tolerance for bandh lovers

Mou Chakraborty
Kolkata, January 24, 2007

Unhappy with the deluge of bandhs, Jadavpur University (JU) is planning a zero-tolerance for teachers and employees who will be absent on strike days. This follows a proposal by the registrar’s office to deduct the salary or a holiday from those who fail to turn. Frequent bandhs in the last two months were affecting the academic environment of the university and compelled the registrar’s office to float the proposal.
All along JU did not have any policy regarding bandhs. Neither the salary nor holidays of the teaching and non-teaching staff were deducted if they failed to turn up. “The university now wants a clear cut policy. The proposal has been floated and the teachers’ union, officers’ union and the employees’ union have been asked to give their opinion by February 28,” said professor Partha Pratim Biswas, an EC member.
However, there have been differences. While the registrar’s office proposed to deduct a day’s salary, teachers felt that deducting a holiday will be a better proposition. The university authorities feel that framing a bandh policy will not be undemocratic. “We have a right to express our opinion. One can support a bandh and choose not to turn up, but they will have to sacrifice their salary or their holiday. In fact through their sacrifice, the teachers will be on a stronger wicket. During the trade union bandh, bank and government employees too follow such a method,” said Biswas.
Issues like the stance of the 60 teaching and 250 non-teaching employees who reside on the campus should do on bandhs was also discussed.
The students too will not be spared— the university will decide on whether to mark a student absent or force him to go in for extra classes. The university will also frame a policy to deal with absenteeism during a students strike. The absence of students from pre-scheduled exams will be considered seriously if they fail to take the exam even when the transport situation is normal during a bandh. Calling a students’ strike during the examination may also cost them dear.
In another motion, the university proposed to stop organising any pujas within the campus. This proposal was moved because the academic environment of the university was being spoiled with frequent pujas organised by the families of the non-teaching staff staying on the campus.
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