Teachers affiliated to Mumbai Junior College Teachers’ Union on Wednesday protested against the sacking of three junior faculty members of K.J Somaiya College of Arts and Commerce in Vidyavihar.
Meera Kulkarni, a permanent faculty member who taught Marathi in the aided section, was allegedly asked to quit early this year as the department had less workload. Ms. Kulkarni, who was present at the protest, said,“One day the management summoned me and told me that my services were not required anymore. They said not many students had opted for Marathi as their second language. Our department comprised just two teachers, yet I was asked to quit. It is unfair.”
Mannudevi Singh, a junior college teacher of commerce in the unaided section, said she was sacked without being issued a notice. She said, “I have been working for the past four years. Every year, after the last working day on April 30, I rejoin from mid-June. This year, I was told to join from August when the new batch begins. On asking who would take classes for Class XII students, I was told that it will be taken care of.”
Ms. Singh added, “I and two of my colleagues were told that teachers would be interviewed every year to decide if the management wanted to continue with them or not. If I had a hint of this, I would have looked for other options. Now I am facing unemployment.”
‘Unfair and baseless’
Shriprakash Dixit, vice-president of the union said, “We stand by the teachers. Their termination is unfair, baseless and unjustifiable. The teachers are well-versed in their subjects and have been more than four years of experience.”
Other teachers of the college expressed their concern about the issue but did not take part in the protests.