••• Sept 2006 ••• Polytechnic Teachers Boycotted Valuation Camp against the denial of TA & DA for Supplementary Valuation Camp. This Unanimous Protest forced the Authorities to sanction our demands. This incident revealed the need for an Independent Organization to protect our interests and to raise the voice on the long pending and still unattended rights and demands.

••• Feb 2007 ••• Representatives from different Polytechnics met at MTI Thrissur to discuss the burning issues of Polytechnic Teachers. The meeting decided to reorganize and strengthen GPTSA. For this an Adhoc Committee was formed. The Meeting decided AICTE Scheme Implementation as Prime Motive and devised Action Plans for its achievement.

••• 14-2-2007 ••• Press Conference conducted at Thiruvananthapuram demanding AICTE scheme Implementation to Polytechnic Teachers. Also declared that Polytechnic Teachers will be forced into agitations if GO (MS) 70/2000 is not implemented.

Mass Memorandum signed by the Complete Polytechnic Teachers demanding AICTE scheme Implementation (GO (MS) 70/2000) submitted to Chief Minister, Education Minister, Finance Minister, LDF Convener, Opposition Leader, Higher Education Secretary and DTE.

••• 12-3-2007 ••• Secretariat March by Polytechnic Teachers demanding AICTE scheme Implementation inaugurated by Sri K.T Jaleel MLA.

••• 12-3-2007 ••• Annual State Conference of GPTSA convened at Adhyapaka Bhavan, Thiruvananthapuram. Office Bearers were elected in this Conference. General Body unanimously decided to boycott Practical Examinations and Valuation Camps of April 2007.

Notice for Strike issued to all the Authorities.

GPTSA official Web Site started. (www.polytechniccollege.org)

••• 24-3-2007 •••GPTSA Central Committee decided to go ahead with Practical Examination Boycotting.

Zonal Conventions conducted to discuss on the need for Strike.

••• 28-3-2007 ••• GPTSA observed BLACK DAY.

••• April 2007  ••• The Complete Polytechnic Teachers Boycotted Practical Examinations.

••• 21-4-2007 ••• Higher Edn Dept called for discussion on 21-04-07 vide Lr No. C2-9369/07 dtd 19-04-07 regarding Implementation of AICTE scheme.

••• 24-4-2007 ••• GPTSA State Council decided to go ahead with the Strike.

••• 30-4-2007 ••• Discussion with Minister for Education. Assurance for timely Implementation of AICTE Scheme and request to end the Strike.

••• 1-5-2007 ••• GPTSA Central Committee decided to end the Strike based on the assurance from the Minister for Education.

••• 26-5-2007 ••• Lr No. 4572/L3/07/H.Edn from Additional Chief Secretary to Government declining the request for implementing of AICTE scale for Polytechnic teachers.

••• 26-4-2007 ••• Lr No. Information/37790/06(1) received from DTE stating that The General Transfer Norms are as contemplated in GO (P) No. 12/04/P & ARD dtd 10-09-2004.

••• 24-5-2007 ••• GPTSA President filed WP(C) No. 15429/07 in the Hon’ble High Court of Kerala- pointing out the clear cut evidences that relevant norms and guidelines are not followed in General Transfer.

Judgment in this case ordered to settle all the grievances of GPTSA within one month and directed the authorities to publish a provisional list for General Transfer calling for responses before publishing the Final General Transfer List.

••• June 2007 ••• DTE issued General Transfer Orders ignoring the Judgment in WP(C) No. 15429/07. Office Bearers and members of GPTSA were illegally transferred violating the General Transfer Norms and Guidelines as vengeance for participating in the Strike.

Ten Persons approached the Hon’ble High Court of Kerala by separate Writ Petitions challenging the violation of General Transfer Norms and got relief based on Court Orders. There was also an incident in which the first direction by the Hon’ble High Court of Kerala to settle the grievances as per General Transfer Norms after conducting Personal hearings of affected parties was rejected by DTE and further upheld by the Hon’ble High Court of Kerala to protect the interest of the petitioner.

••• 13-7-2007 ••• While admitting WP(C) No. 21076 the Hon’ble High Court of Kerala noticed that Several Writ petitions are coming up alleging violation of norms of transfer in DTE. The Court noticed that this was only due to the non-compliance of the Judgment dtd 24-5-2007 in WP(C) No. 15429/07 filed by President, GPTSA. The Court made it crystal clear that this judgment was issued to avoid unnecessary litigations and to ensure transparency. The Hon’ble High Court directed DTE, SJD(PS) & Administrative Officer to file separate affidavits on the allegation of unnecessary interfering with the administrative functions and indulging in matters relating to transfer of employees.

••• 20-7-2007 ••• Senior Joint Director (PS), Administrative Officer and Senior Superintendent of DTE filed separate affidavits before the Hon’ble High Court of Kerala stating that the Judgment dtd 24-5-2007 in WP(C) No. 15429/07 was received at DTE only on 26-5-07 and by the time proposals for General Transfer 2007 were in an advanced stage and sufficient time was not available to issue a Provisional List.

••• 13-6-2007 ••• President, GPTSA attended the Personal Hearing called by The Higher Education Dept as per the directions in the Judgment in WP(C) No. 15429/07 and submitted all the General Transfer Anomalies with Proper Evidences in all the General Transfer Orders issued.

••• 29-6-2007 ••• GO (Rt) No. 1262/2007/H.Edn issued by The Higher Education (L) Department- Agreed to Publish Provisional List of candidates due for General Transfer before issuing General Transfer Orders and to call for grievances. This order is in Compliance with the Judgment in WP (C) No. 15429/07 filed by President, GPTSA.

••• 22-6-2007 ••• GO(MS) No. 118/07/GE – VHSE courses with One year Apprenticeship training equated to three years diploma courses. GPTSA was the first organization to raise voice against this unjustifiable and manipulated Order. Later Student community also started agitations against this Order.

••• 14-8-2007 ••• GPTSA participated in the Adalat conducted by the Minister for Education. A detailed proposal on all the Major issues related to Polytechnic Education System was submitted on the occasion. Minister on the spot asked JCTE and Higher Education Secretary to solve the problem of not paying the Remuneration of Practical Examinations at the earliest !

••• 22-9-2007 ••• Letter for information send to DTE under RTI Act 2005 on 15 various points connected with General Transfer 2007 & 2008.

••• 14-10-2007 ••• GPTSA State Council decided to initiate Legal Procedures for AICTE scheme. GPTSA filed petition in the Hon’ble High Court of Kerala demanding AICTE Pay Scale Implementation, with the State of Kerala, AICTE and Directorate of Technical Education as Respondents.

••• 19-10-2007 ••• Lr No. Information/11335/07/DTE received in response to information requested. In this letter DTE had made it clear that General Transfer 2008 will be done only as per norms in G.O (P) No. 12/04 P & ARD Dtd 10-9-2004 and Provisional list will be published , calling for complaints before effecting the General Transfer 2008-09.

••• 31-10-2007 ••• No. 22219/J3/07/H Edn - Order denying Leave and Deputations.

••• 8-12-2007 ••• GPTSA Annual State Conference conducted at Visveswarya Nagar, Thrissur. The Elected State Committee and Zonal Committee take charge of the offices. Decided to affiliate GPTSA with NFPT.

••• 11-12-2007 ••• GO (MS) No. 208/07/GlEdn – Order equating VHSE to Diploma Cancelled.

••• 25-2-2008 ••• Representation to DTE – General Transfer 2008-09 related. - For following norms as per GO (P) No.12/2004 P&ARD dtd 10.9.2004 and Circular No. 3080 AR/13(2)/ 07/H.Edn dtd 26-4-07 while issuing General Transfer Orders. Also represented to publish Provisional List of General Transfer for all category of employees and to comply the Judgment dtd 24-5-2007 in WP(C) No. 15429/07.

••• April 19-20 , 2008 ••• National Conference of NFPT held at Bhopal.
14 States participated in the National Conference. Five Member GPTSA team actively participated in the Conference. The Conference decided to re-structure the Federation for improving the efficiency and maintaining transparency. Separate teams were given charge to draft the Constitution, Preparing and Submitting the Memoranda etc. The Conference evaluated the problems faced by Polytechnic Education System in different States and decided to draft the plans for a Unified Polytechnic Education System in India. The Conference decided to met at Hyderabad within 3 months to review the situation.

••• May 2008 ••• DTE published the Provisional List of General Transfer for all Categories of Employees and called for Grievances.

••• 22-5-2008 ••• GPTSA Submitted grievances on the Provisional List for General Transfer – 2008. Also pointed out the incidents where General Transfer norms are not properly ascertained and which are going to create problems.

••• 31-7-2008 ••• Representations to JCTE, DTE & Principal Secretary on problems and suggestions related to Diploma Examinations, Valuation Camp Procedures, Question Paper Setting, Preparation of Scheme of Evaluation/Answer Keys, Posting of Assistant Examiners, Remuneration of Practical Examinations etc.


••• AIFPTO ACTIVITIES •••

•  August 6-7, 2008 AIFPTO Conference at Hyderabad.
•  The Conference opted the name AIFPTO instead of NFPT.
•  The draft Constitution was discussed and finalised.
•  Office Bearers were elected and they took charge of the Office.
•  Sri V.M Rajasekharan of GPTSA was elected as one of the Secretary.
•  Sri Abdul Nasar Kaipanchery was elected as Gen Secretary, South Zone.
•  The Memorandum and AICTE revision Draft was discussed and finalised.

Smt. D. Purandeswari, Hon’ble Minister of State for HRD officially inaugurated AIFPTO in the Public meeting conducted. She also inaugurated the official Web site of the Federation (www.aifpto.org).
Sri Abdul Nasar Kaipanchery, Gen Secretary GPTSA in his speech pointed out the problem of non-implementation of AICTE scheme in Kerala. A detailed Memorandum depicting the condition of Polytechnic Education System in Kerala was also submitted to the Minister on the occasion.

••• 21st to 24th October 2008 ••• AIFPTO Mission to New Delhi

The office bearers of the AIFPTO namely Sri R. Baskar, Vice-President; Sri N. Chandra Shekhar, General Secretary; Sri Y. Narsaiah Goud, Treasurer; and Sri M.L. Rana, Secretary (North Zone) have been to New Delhi from 21st to 24th October 2008 to meet the MHRD and AICTE officials during the Parliament sessions. Sri Rajesh Kadian and Sri Jagbir Chillar, President and General Secretary of Haryana Polytechnic Teachers Association respectively and Sri Rajesh Sonania, President of Rajasthan Polytechnic Teachers Association have also attended the meetings.

••• 21st October 2008 ••• Met Sri R.P. Yadav, Chairman and Dr. K. Narayan Rao, Member Secretary of AICTE at their office and submitted representations for the early constitution of AICTE Pay Review Committee in respect of teachers working in Degree and Diploma level technical Institutions. During the discussions it has come to light that Prof. Goverdhan Mehta Committee has already been constituted by AICTE to review the Pay scales and Service conditions of teachers working higher level technical institutions, i.e. IITs, IIMs, NITs and IISc. The Member Secretary has informed that the instructions for constitution of Pay Review Committee in respect of teachers working in Degree and Diploma level technical Institutions have to be issued by Secretary, MHRD.

Met Smt. D. Purandeswari, Hon’ble Minister of State for HRD in her chamber at Shastry Bhavan. Held discussions with the Hon’ble Minister on various issues like early constitution of AICTE Pay Review Committee, lack of uniform implementation of AICTE norms and guidelines by some states, possible financial assistance by MHRD to the States for implementation of AICTE norms and guidelines, etc and requested for her immediate intervention in the matters. The Honble Minister was very much impressed with our discussion and promised us that she would instruct the concerned authorities on all the matters including the constitution of AICTE Pay Review Committee. The Honble Minister also requested the Federation to submit a proposal to the MHRD on the financial burden that would be incurred on the Central Government for uniform implementation of AICTE norms and guidelines in all states. This is a very positive outcome during the discussions.

••• 22nd October 2008 ••• Submitted representation at the office of Shri Arjun Singhji, Hon’ble Minister for HRD. Met Sri R.P. Agrawal, IAS, Secretary, MHRD on the same day. But due to his busy schedule, we were instructed to meet the Additional Secretary, MHRD who is looking after the Technical Education matters. On the same day, Smt. D. Purandeswari, Hon’ble Minister had inquired her officers on AICTE Pay Review Committee in respect of teachers working in Degree and Diploma level technical Institutions.

••• 23rd October 2008 ••• Submitted representation to Ms. Prathima Dikshit, Director, Technical Education, MHRD. She called the Chairman and Member Secretary, AICTE in the presence of Federation office bearers and informed the officers that the Hon’ble Minister has inquired about the AICTE Pay Review Committee in respect of teachers working in Degree and Diploma level technical Institutions. They have informed her that AICTE is presently working on the Pay Revision for teachers working in IITs, IIMs, NITs and IISc. She has promised that she would do the needful.

Submitted representation to Sri Ashok Thakur, IAS, Additional Secretary, MHRD and requested for immediate intervention in the matter. The Additional Secretary, MHRD called the Member Secretary, AICTE and inquired about the AICTE Pay Review Committee in respect of teachers working in Degree and Diploma level technical Institutions. Later he informed that MHRD and AICTE are very keen to redress the various grievances of the Federation at the earliest.

••• 24th October 2008 ••• Again met Dr. K. Narayan Rao, Member Secretary, AICTE at his office and conveyed to him the proceedings of the Federation during the previous three days. The Member Secretary appreciated the efforts of the Federation and promised that AICTE is committed to submit the various reports on Pay Revision in respect of teachers working in IITs, IIMs, NITs, IISc, IIITs, NITTTRs, & Degree and Diploma level Technical Institutions at the earliest.

The mission to New Delhi has been very successful. All the officers concerned have been very positive and helpful. AIFPTO is very grateful to Smt. D. Purandeswari, Hon’ble Minister of State for HRD for her personal intervention in the Federation matters. Constant persuasion in the matter is needed. Sri M.L. Rana, North Zone Secretary would visit the MHRD and AICTE offices very frequently as New Delhi is closer to Chandigarh. Members form Haryana would also be in touch with Sri M.L. Rana and would accompany him during his visits to New Delhi.