GUWAHATI, Aug 9 - A fiver member delegation of the Gauhati University Teachers� Association (GUTA) held a crucial meeting with State Education Minister Sarat Barkotoky at his official residence here today on the issue of the memorandum of understanding (MoU) proposed to be signed between the State government and the Gauhati University, said a joint statement, signed by GUTA general secretary Dr Jagadish Sarma and its president Prof Jogen Chandra Kalita, this evening.
The delegation expressed its serious concern over the proposed MoU and questioned the very context and motive behind it. While pointing out that the amendment inserted in the GU Act 1947 in 2013 had already made necessary provisions for payment of pension to the GU teachers, officers and employees, it argued that under the given circumstance signing of a separate MoU in the pretext of pension should not have arisen.
The Education Minister, while recollecting his long association with the GU as a member of its Executive Council, assured the delegation that he would not be a part of any move that could hamper the interest and prestige of GU.
While informing the delegation that he would take up the matter with the State Chief Secretary, and also at other appropriate levels, the Education Minister expressed his willingness to have more engagements with the university and the teaching community on the issue of the MoU and other relevant matters in the near future.
Describing the meeting as cordial and expressing its satisfaction with the concerns shown by the Education Minister, the GUTA delegation asserted that in the greater interest of the society and that of the future generations, GUTA in principle had taken the matter very seriously and decided to discuss the matter with all concerned. The matter will be discussed amongst its members at the general body meeting of the GUTA to be held on August 22.
The delegation was led by GUTA president Prof Kalita. The other members of the delegation were teacher member in the GU Executive Council Prof Dilip Kumar Kakati, former GUTA general secretaries Prof Akhil Ranjan Dutta and Dr Dhrubajyoti Saharia and present GUTA general secretary Dr Sarma.
