Tribhuvan University Teachers’ Association has decided to postpone its 24-hour relay hunger strike and all other forms of protests with effect from today after the TU administration made a written pledge to address the demands of the agitating professors.

Yogendra Narayan Badbariya, TUTA president, said they postponed the protest programmes as the talks held between the agitating professors and TU office-bearers on April 13 ended on a positive note and the Office of the Vice-Chancellor of TU agreed to fulfil their demands within a certain timeframe.

The professors had staged various protest programmes, including the 24-hour relay hunger strike, a pendown and several rounds of sit-ins, since February 24 to exert pressure on the government and the TU administration to address their 17-point charter of demands. The protesters had also shut 60 TU-affiliated colleges and four research centres for a week.

They had threatened to stage a fast-unto-death from April 15 if the TU administration did not promise in writing to address their demands.

According to the TUTA, the TU administration is yet to implement the agreement it had signed with the TUTA on September 25, 2012.

Their other demands include payment to university teachers as per the new salary scale, introduced after

mid-July last year, immediate announcement of vacancies for various posts as per a taskforce’s report, maintenance of a hierarchy system for professors, and respect for TU’s autonomy.

TUTA has also demanded payment of Rs 2,000 as minimum monthly academic

allowance and insurance for all professors, health insurance for teachers, and implementation of rules governing the university.

In a press release, the TU VC’s office has pledged to address the teachers’ demands within three weeks.

Key demand
• Implementation of a deal signed between the university and TUTA on September 25, 2012
• Payment to university teachers as per a new salary scale, introduced after mid-July last year
• Immediate announcement of vacancies for various posts as per a taskforce’s report
• Maintenance of a hierarchy system for professors
• Respect for autonomy of the Tribhuvan University
• Implementation of the semester system after in-depth discussions and adequate preparations
• Publication of results within three months of exams

source: the himalayan times,17 april 2014