Assam College Teachers’ Association Resolves Leadership Dispute and Financial Concerns Amid Resignations

Tezpur: The Assam College Teachers’ Association successfully concluded its second executive meeting on June 16 at the association’s headquarters in Solapara, Guwahati. The meeting, presided over by acting president Dr. Bipul Chakravarty, focused on critical issues affecting college teachers across the state.

The session commenced with an extensive discussion on the reinstatement of Dr. Jayanta Baruah, the newly-elected president who had been suspended by the Assam government since February 21. Following the revocation of his suspension by the Higher Education Department on May 29, and his subsequent resumption of duties on May 30, the executive committee unanimously decided to reinstate Dr. Baruah as president. Dr. Baruah was formally welcomed back and assigned his responsibilities.

During the first executive meeting held on February 25, Dr. Baruah, while under suspension, had voluntarily handed over his responsibilities to Vice-President Dr. Bipul Chakraborty. The committee members extended their best wishes to Dr. Baruah and emphasized the importance of united efforts to resolve the issues faced by the association’s members.

The meeting addressed recent media reports about alleged financial irregularities within the association, which have caused confusion among members. The executive committee discussed General Secretary Paragjyoti Mahanta’s unauthorized communication of these allegations to regional units. It was noted that opponents of the association had used this information to tarnish its reputation in the media. The committee stressed the importance of transparency to maintain trust among its members.

Furthermore, the meeting extensively discussed the doubts that had arisen regarding the financial report unanimously approved during the association’s annual session held from January 27 to January 30, 2023, in the Dibrugarh division. The executive committee agreed that any significant matter should be reported to the committee before informing regional committees or any other parties.

In light of the general secretary’s indication of possible financial discrepancies, the executive committee unanimously decided to conduct a comparative review of the financial reports for the past ten terms and to submit a report. A five-member committee was formed for this purpose. Other allegations brought by the general secretary were also discussed.

However, after the lunch break, the general secretary announced his resignation from his duties and left the meeting room. Following his departure, three other members also announced their resignations. Despite these resignations, the executive committee proceeded with the subsequent agenda items with the presence of 21 executive members.

During the meeting, officials were urged to focus on securing promotions for college teachers, addressing their fixation, revising the office memorandum published on November 8, securing PhD increments, and fulfilling other demands from the government. The meeting recommended sending letters to seek formal discussions with the Chief Minister of Assam, the Education Minister, Education Secretary and  Director of Higher Education. Additionally, it was decided to promptly communicate all the proposals adopted in the meeting to the regional committees and teacher groups.

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