Block criteria colleges demand GIA implementation

BHUBANESWAR: Teachers of the Block Criteria College Lecturers and Employees Association (BCCLEA) on Friday staged a demonstration in front of the State Assembly protesting the defective 2008 policy of the Higher Education Department that has deprived 391 colleges from receiving grant-in-aid (GIA) in accordance with the GIA order, 1994.

The BCCLEA members demanded consideration of GIA to 391 block criteria colleges on priority basis by the committee on GIA headed by development commissioner. Hundreds of lecturers and employees of 391 block criteria colleges of the State joined in the procession that started from Master Canteen to Lower PMG protesting the defective 2008 policy.

They said the policy was framed by the Biju Patnaik-led Government in 1994, under which two Plus II colleges, a Plus III and a women’s college in a block are eligible to get the GIA. However, the Congress Government did not implement the policy. In 2009, the BJD Government framed the grant-in-aid policy, 2008 for 662 unaided colleges under which all colleges were given 40 per cent block grant. The policy included the senior colleges which came under the eligibility criteria of the GIA-1994.

The teachers lamented that had they been given grant under the GIA-1994, they would be getting regular pay now. But the Government indiscriminately provided block grant to all colleges. “Dharna will continue till our demands are fulfilled,” said Association president Srikant Ballav Samant, adding, “The committee on GIA should think about our demands in legal point of view and order full grant instead of block grant under 1994 GIA policy.”