OUTA claims positive response from Govt.

By Our Staff Reporter

HYDERABAD, DEC. 1. The striking Osmania University teachers seem to have finally got some positive response from the Government, when a delegation of the Osmania University Teachers' Association (OUTA) was assured by the Chief Minister, Mr. N. Chandrababu Naidu, that their ``just demands'' would be looked into.

The OUTA president, Prof. K. Purushotham Reddy, told The Hinduthat the Chief Minister responded positively to their demands of release of DA amount, merit promotion scheme and other issues like medical reimbursement and enhanced pension to retired teachers. He said the Chief Minister was apprised of their long- pending demands and their agitation and that he gave them a patient hearing.

He said the delegation also met the Higher Education Minister, Mr. Karanam Ramachandra Rao. According to him, the Chief Minister later had a meeting with the Education Minister, Vice-Chancellor and the Finance Secretary to discuss the issue.

Regarding calling off the strike in view of the Chief Minister's assurances, he said the deliberations would be put in the general body meeting of the OUTA to be held on Saturday and the final decision would be taken there.

Meanwhile, the boycott of semester examinations by the students of Osmania University continued on Friday, with students in the College of Arts and Social Sciences totally staying away from the examination.

However, a few students in the Science college took the examination. Student organisations also claimed that the boycott was total in other constituent colleges like the P.G. College, Secunderabad, P.G. College, Saifabad, University College for Women, Koti and Nizam College.

Progressive Democratic Students Union (PDSU) leaders, who, along with other student bodies, are spearheading the agitation against the semester system claimed that the boycott was voluntary in all the colleges. They said the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. D.C. Reddy, should resign as he was not able to work along neither with the teachers nor with the students.

OU convocation on Dec. 13

The 74th annual convocation of Osmania University would be held on December 13 at Tagore Auditorium on the campus for conferment of P.G. degrees and gold medals on the successful candidates of the University examinations held during August 1, 1998 and August 31, 2000.

All the candidates who have registered for the award of Research and Masters' degree at the Convocation can attend in white dress by obtaining the entrance pass and badge from the office of the Controller of Examinations on December 11 and 12. The list of candidates declared eligible for the award of gold medals in the graduation and post-graduation are on display at the examination branch for verification, according to a press release.

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Section  : Southern States
Previous : More outlets for 'Vijaya' milk cards
Next     : Govt. to start bio-informatics institute