The Mumbai Junior College Teachers' Association (MJCTA) announced a sit-in protest in front of SIWS College, Wadala, on Monday afternoon to highlight their concerns that the problems allegedly faced by teachers at the college have not been resolved.
Black Ribbons and Daily Teaching
Professor Mukund Andhalkar, general secretary of MJCTA, said that teachers have been wearing black ribbons while carrying out their daily teaching and other work for the last 20 days in protest.
Protest Details and Demands
The organisation stated that 150 to 200 junior college teachers will participate in the protest. Their demands include:
Reinstatement of four teachers
Passing and promotion of 210 students who failed in class 11
Action against the vice-principal
Withdrawal of show-cause notices issued to the teachers on September 22
Vice-Principal Responds
The vice-principal had earlier denied the allegations levelled by the teachers, MJCTA, and the Maharashtra Junior College Teachers' Organisation (MJCTO). She said she is being targeted for enforcing discipline on campus. In a statement, she said that for an institution to prosper and maintain goodwill, institutional heads must uphold discipline among both teachers and students.
Allegations of Targeting
The vice-principal added, “I have done exactly that, and for this effort, some teachers, especially those affiliated with MJCTO, have taken a dislike towards me, creating an atmosphere that would compel me to resign.”