‘Won’t relax NET, SET rule for teachers’
Chief minister Prithviraj Chavan on Monday rejected Maharashtra Feder-ation of University and College Teachers’ Organisation’s (Mfucto) demand to exempt over 2,000 teachers from giving the NET or SET exam.
He, however, appealed to teachers to end their exam duty boycott for the sake of students and their future. Mr Chavan also offered to give all the arrears of the Sixth Pay Commission together, instead of giving it in three installments.
Speaking at a press conference at Sahyadri guesthouse, Mr Chavan said, “Exams like NET and SET have been made compulsory to have qualified teachers as it would help make better students in the future.”
He added that exempting teachers from the NET/SET exams could affect the quality of students. Hence, the demand to relax NET and SET rules cannot be considered, Mr Chavan said.
Mfucto had started a statewide boycott of exam duty since February 4 demanding regularisation of 2,307 teachers, who had not cleared the NET/SET exams. They also wanted payment of all the arrears of `1,500 crore of the Sixth Pay Commission pending with the state government.
While the government has agreed to pay the arrears in three installments, it is not ready to exempt teachers from giving the NET and SET exams. Mr Chavan clarified that the minimum qualification for recruitment of teachers is M. Phil, PhD and NET and SET. Those who were hired in the 1990s without these qualifications were asked to take the examinations within three years of recruitment. “Non NET and SET teachers, who do not have the minimum qualifications will not be sacked, but won’t get the same perks,” he said.
He also warned teachers of strict action if they held the government and students to ransom. Mr Chavan stated that on the insistence of the unions, the government has decided to give the entire amount of `1,500 crore at once using the Contingency Fund.
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