Observing that there was no justification from teachers across Maharashtra for boycotting assessment of answer sheets of TY BCom students, the Bombay High Court today directed the teachers to extend cooperation to the universities and start assessment from tomorrow.
The court has also directed the Maharashtra government to form a grievance redressal committee to address the problems faced by the teachers.
A division bench of Chief Justice Mohit Shah and Justice M S Sanklecha was hearing a public interest litigation filed by Akhil Bharatiya Vidhyarthi Parishad (ABVP), students wing of Bharatiya Janata Party, challenging the ongoing boycott by the Maharashtra Federation of University Colleges Teachers' Association.
The association has boycotted from assessing the answer sheets of TY BCom students till the time they are not paid salaries as recommended by the Sixth Pay Commission.
"If the association and its members are not satisfied with the remedies offered to them by the government then they can adopt other legal recourse. There is no justification for not cooperating with the universities," the court said.
It directed the association and its members to comply with the provisions on the Maharashtra Universities Act, which says teachers are bound to extend their full cooperation to the universities.
"Assurance has been given by the association members that it would start assessment of exam papers from tomorrow. We direct the teachers to give individual undertaking that in future too, they will render necessary cooperation and will not hinder exam related work," the court said.
Directing for a grievance redressal committee to be set up, Chief Justice Shah said, "The absence of such a mechanism to address the problems of teachers results in such strikes. The committee shall also ensure that students of Maharashtra do not suffer."
The court also noted that the teachers shall start assessment of answer sheets from tomorrow so that the results can be declared within the stipulated time period.
As per the university rules, the results have to be declared within 45 days from the last date of examination.
