City institutes issue directives asking 50 per cent of professors to report to duty on campus or face action; without access to local trains, teachers will waste time, money, energy in travelling
Many professors are worried that they won’t be able to comply with the directives and are scared for their jobs. Representation pic
As if the past academic year — since the outbreak of the pandemic — was not enough trouble for them too, professors are now facing another issue, even as the city faces continued Level 3 restrictions. Many city colleges have called 50 per cent of their professors to hold online lectures from college premises.
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For many professors such as one from a college in Andheri, this brings a new worry, as she stays in Virar and won't be able to meet these new directives, and is scared for her job. With no local train access for them yet, many professors like her are worried as to how to travel, and the consequences.
Thanks to the newest break-the-chain circular by the state government, which permits office attendance — 50 per cent of the total capacity — many city colleges have started asking their professors to report to duty. Professors are questioning this as the lectures are happening online since students cannot be called to colleges. Moreover, with no access to local trains, professors find it a complete waste of time, money and energy in travelling, which also does not allow them to do justice to their work.
Professors are raising valid concerns, but are scared to talk about this openly, fearing consequences. Representation pic
“If I have to go to college, I will spend three hours or so travelling, as we are not allowed to board local trains. This is a clear waste of time and energy. Spending money on different ways of travel is more stress, as nothing is as cost effective as local trains,” said the professor who stays in Virar and teaches in an Andheri college.
‘What is the point?’
Another teacher from the Eastern suburbs who teaches in a college in South Mumbai, said, “When the teaching has to happen online, what is the point of doing it from college premises? Especially for those who are effectively able to teach online from home. Even the tests are happening online, so assessment too is online. Practically everything is online and yet the college insists that we hold online activities from the college campus. This is a weird demand. More so, because travelling is yet not a convenient process in Mumbai with limited local train access.” While professors are raising valid concerns, they are scared to talk about this openly, fearing consequences, as in many cases, college administrations have warned of severe actions if they don’t comply with their directives. All the professors who spoke to this reporter requested that their names not be used.
‘Professors are complaining’
Vaibhav Narawade, president of the Mumbai University College Teachers’ Union (MUCTA), said, “We are receiving several complaints from professors asking us to raise our voice for the community. Professors go to railway stations and take selfies with the ticket window to show their college principals that tickets are not allowed for them, and they cannot travel. Many professors are hassled, as in a city like Mumbai, their residences are far from their work places.” MUCTA has written to the University of Mumbai regarding the issue.
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