Title - Central Railway to increase women’s coaches

On International Women's Day on Friday, the Central Railway announced to increase women's coaches in 15-car rakes to five from the second 15-car rake likely to be introduced soon. All the 5 coaches will be together.

"On any additional 12-car services to be introduced in future, efforts will be made to increase ladies coaches and keep them together,'' said Subodh Jain, GM, CR.

"Within a month, these coaches will be equipped with CCTV cameras so that police may keep watch on any antisocial elements.''

He met a a delegation of women commuters at CST and told them the move would be effective in ensuring safety.

Felicitating 10 women employees of CR to mark Women's Day, Jain said, "I am happy to serve an organization where there is women empowerment. Railways started empowerment of women by recruiting them in field work.'' said Jain

Muniyamal Balkrishnan a woman employee, said, "I was afraid working on the tracks but it is my job and I am dedicated to my duty.''

Jain said, "Initially, women were selected on compassionate grounds for field work, but seeing their dedication, railways changed the policy and the number of women staff is increasing.''

Swayam Siddha, a magzine on women-related issues, was released by Jain on the occasion. Its editor Manjula Saxena, Dy Chief Personal Officer, said, "Swayam Siddha is a journey of empowerment filled with hope.''

The staff present included six from the Tejaswani Squad, two ticker-checkers and 4 Railway Protection Force personnel.

A short movie on Mumtaz Kazi, a woman staff recruited for fieldwork which also featured Surekha Yadav, the first woman driver of CR was shown on the occasion.

Rajlaxmi Ravi Kumar, Financial Advisor and Chief Account Officer, CR, said women empowerment was leading a life of their choice with confidence and dignity.

Assurance of arrears in 3 installments fails to move teachers

Higher and Technical Education Minister Rajesh Tope on Friday said he had given a written assurance to teachers on strike that their Sixth Pay Commission arrears would be paid in three installments this year, however teachers organisations are not relenting.

On Friday, defying warnings that the Essential Services Maintenance Act will be invoked they staged a 'jail bharo andolan' at Azad Maidan.

"Over 6,500 teachers courted arrest. Our demands are just and we are not afraid of ESMA. The state must immediately disburse 80 per cent of arrears. We have 13 demands and want the state to discuss all issues with MFUCTO," said MFUCTO general secretary Tapati Mukhopadhyay.

On January 13, teachers under the Maharashtra Federation of University and College Teachers' Organisations (MFUCTO) had decided to boycott theory and practical examinations unless their demands including pay arrears, regularisation of services of lecturers (appointed between 1991 and 2000) affected by the National Eligibility Test (NET) or State Level Eligibility Test (SLET) and granting placement benefits in compliance with directions of the University Grants Commission (UGC) are met.

"Last month, in a written statement to MFCUTO, we assured arrears will be cleared in three installments," Tope said. Of the arrears of Rs 1,500 crore, Rs 500 crore will be released by April, and the rest in June and December.

C R Sadasivan, MFCUTO member and president of the Bombay University and College Teachers' Union (BUCTU), said, "The state said that after the first installment of Rs 500 crore they will claim reimbursement from the Centre and pay us the second installment from the amount that comes from the Centre. The Centre has said it will not make an exception for any state. This implies the remaining arrears will be stuck."

The Cabinet had also okayed regularisation of nearly 2,307 teachers recruited between 1991 and 2000, who had not cleared NET/SET exams.

Tope announced on March 6 that teachers hired between September 19, 1991 and April 3, 2000, who do not fulfill the UGC criteria for recruitment will be regularised from the date the state issues a GR to that effect.

The GR is likely after the Cabinet meeting on March 13. Teachers, however, want services to be regularised from the date of joining.

Sadasivan said, "The UGC has said in a letter that there would be no change in its stand. Nearly 10,000 teachers affected by NET/SLET have enjoyed no benefits for nearly two decades in Maharashtra. How can the Cabinet take such a wrong decision and deprive the others?"

State government sources, however, said that according to the UGC letter, services of non-NET/SLET teachers should be regularised from the date of exemption granted by the university and not from the date of appointment.

"And universities can grant exemption only after the GR is issued. The Cabinet decision came after examining all aspects," said a source.

Practicals stuck at 47 centres

At Mumbai University, the strike disrupted practical exams of third year BSc students which began on March 4. Of the 91 centres where practicals were scheduled on Friday, exams were conducted only at 47. No practicals were held at 44 centres. "Last month, we had written to chancellor of universities in Maharashtra, the higher and technical education minister and the chief minister, requesting that the demands of teachers be looked into and speedy decisions taken to ensure exams don't suffer. Since then, we have been pursuing the matter with the state," said Rajan Welukar, MU V-C. He said since the fight is between the government and teachers, students and the university should not be at the receiving end. "Since teachers' demands are directed at the government and not the university, we requested them to see that students don't suffer. We have written to teachers' unions under our university, asking them to cooperate," said Welukar.