Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)

Bengaluru, Apr 20: Karnataka chief minister (CM), Siddaramaiah, succeeded in intervening and convincing the PU lecturers who were on strike and had boycotted answer sheet evaluation work in pursuance of their demand for pay hike, to withdraw their stir and get involved with the task of evaluation. Reportedly, the lecturers relented and agreed to undertake the above work, after having been promised of meeting their demands during January next year.

It is said that the CM, who conveyed the decision of the government as above to the striking lecturers, asked primary and secondary education minsister, Kimmane Ratnakar, to hold final round of talks with the striking teachers. Ratnakar then held discussions with the lecturers holding dharna in the city and office bearers of PU College Lecturers and Principals Association, after which the lecturers announced that they had decided to call of the protest.

On Tuesday evening, the CM summoned minister Ratnakar in the backdrop of continuance of stir by lecturers, joint press conference addressed by MLCs, and the warning given to the government, and held consultations with him. He also is learnt to have collected information about the objections raised by MLCs about problems emanating from answer sheet evaluation through alternative arrangement, and pros and cons of getting the evaluation done by high school teachers and retired lecturers.

The CM, it is said, asked the minister to try to mediate with the lecturers and reach an understanding as a last resort, as problems if any occurring out of getting evaluation done by alternative sources may trigger panic among students and parents, who are already harassed by question paper leak and re-examination. He felt that managing the situation in such a scenario might prove to be challenging.

Sources added that the CM also held discussions with some senior MLCs who represent graduates and teachers constituencies.

In the meantime, the association has asked the lecturers to reject one increment offered by the government to them earlier, and wait for the hike the government has promised by January next, it is gathered.

PU department director, Dr Rame Gowda, said that services of private PU college lecturers, planned as an alternative in case the lecturers continued with their strike, will not be used now in view of the fact that stir has ended.