IIT faculty set to go on first-ever hunger strike

With the HRD Ministry and IIT faculty refusing to budge from their respective stand, the teachers of prestigious Indian Institutes of Technology will stage a hunger strike tomorrow for the first time on the issue of pay structure.

The IIT faculty has submitted a memorandum on its charter of demands, including withdrawal of 40 per cent cap on promotion of professors to senior grade. However, the HRD Ministry has not responded to the faculty's demands.

"We had asked for a meeting with the HRD ministry representatives on the issue. But there is no response. Hence, will go on fast tomorrow," Prof M Thenmozi told PTI.

HRD Minister Kapil Sibal, however, said the government wants to give more freedom to the elite institutes provided they come up with futuristic vision to achieve excellence.

"IITs are brand institutes. We respect them. We want to give them more freedom to achieve excellence. If they discuss their vision plan, we are ready to give them more autonomy," he said.

Sibal said the vision should reflect their strategy on how to raise their income level so that they do not rely on government and achieve excellence.

As there is no solution to the issue, over 1,500 teachers of the elite institutes will go on the hunger strike on Tuesday but will not boycott classes.