UT to review decision on calling faculty to colleges

UT to review decision on calling faculty to colleges

Kamini.Mehta@timesgroup.com

Chandigarh:  03.07.2020

The UT education department has planned to review its order on calling faculty members to colleges, after ministry of human resource and development (MHRD) asked them to allow teachers to work-from-home till July 31.

The order was issued after the ministry of home affairs (MHA) issued guidelines on Unlock 2.0 on June 29, whereby it was directed that colleges and educational institutions will remain closed till July 31, 2020. It was further stated that the online or distance learning should continue and shall be encouraged at the same time.

The order issued by the MHRD states that, “In order to ensure safety of the faculty members, teachers, researchers and non-teaching staff of the higher educational institutions, precautions like encouraging employees to continue to work-from-home till July 31, 2020 and that faculty members, teachers and researchers should utilise this period for various academic activities.”

The letter issued by the MHRD also said that the said period should be counted as being on duty for all faculty members, teachers, researchers, and non-teaching staff, including those on Ad-hoc and teachers on contract, whose contracts are valid up to July 31.

It was reiterated that the Aarogya Setu App, which enables easy identification of potential risk of infection, should be installed by students, faculty and employees.

“In case of exigency, any faculty member, teacher, researcher or non-teaching staff may attend or be asked to attend the educational institution with all precautionary measures as mentioned in the guidelines issued by the MHA. All the employees should provide their contact details to their institutions so that they may be contacted in case of emergency,” read the letter.

Rubinderjit Singh Brar, director of higher education, said, “We will review the orders.”

Fuel prices on upswing, NSUI targets Kirron

Chandigarh: Targeting the sitting MP of Chandigarh, Kirron Kher, the Nnational Students Union of India (NSUI), Panjab University launched, a “find my MP” campaign on the university campus. Around 20 to 25 activists approached people in the market and distributed a “Missing MP” pamphlet. The pamphlet announced a prize money of Rs 1,100, who suceeds in finding the missing MP of Chandigarh. The NSUI’s social media chairman Manoj Lubana said, “It is shocking that with fuel prices on upwsing, these people are nowhere to be seen.”