New Delhi:
Union Human Resource Development Minister Kapil Sibal has made it clear that the government will not give in to the demands of IIT professors who have threatened a hunger strike on September 24.
Sibal on Tuesday said the system that the IIT teachers are demanding is unreasonable, and hasn't been seen anywhere in the world. He added that the government cannot allow any changes that will dilute the quality of the system.
The minister also expressed disappointment in the manner in which IIT strike was announced. IIT directors were happy with what was proposed. It is unfortunate that IIMs have also been brought in this controversy, Sibal added.
Teachers at India's premier engineering colleges, the IITs, will go on a one-day hunger strike on September 24. They will continue to teach through that day, but on fast.
"The hunger strike won't affect classes," said Professor Gurunath of IIT Kanpur.
This extreme measure has been taken to press for their demands for a pay hike and greater flexibility in promotions.
For four hours they debated their demands and a possible plan of action. At the end of it, representatives of India's seven IITs, who met in Kolkata on Monday, announced the most drastic action so far in their pursuit of demands for better pay and promotion processes.
The teachers of the seven IITs have basically three demands:
· Flexible cadre structure and no quantitative restrictions on any post.
· Better pay packet for entry positions so that the best talent can be attracted.
· An institute-wide performance related incentive scheme.
These demands was placed in a memorandum and sent to Kapil Sibal on Tuesday, calling for a meeting between the minister, the IIT directors and faculty.
The IIT teachers have set a deadline for the minister's response, the deadline of October 1. If their demands are not met by then, the confrontation between them and the government can only get worse. Waiting on the wings, the IIMs who may just follow suit.