Kolkata: An office order from the IIEST authority urging participation from students, scholars, teachers and staff members from each dept on scheduled Saturdays for a cleanliness drive and mapping of attendance in those programmes prompted the teachers' association to write to the director that "imposition of such an activity on teachers is unacceptable, and likely to create unnecessary perturbation" and that "recording of teachers' attendance is likely to interrupt the academic environment".
"Like last year, the institute informed through an order that the cleanliness drive will start from Jan 10 and continue till June 27. It also circulated a schedule where each dept was given the charge to lead the programme on a Saturday, requesting teachers, students, scholars and staffers to participate," said an official, adding, "For smooth coordination of the programme, this time the authority formed a team and informed teachers and officials that attendance will be recorded and a report will be submitted after completion of each scheduled programme."
Opposing the order, the IIEST Teachers' Association wrote a letter to the director stating that teachers resolved during their general meeting that "imposition of such an activity on teachers is unacceptable and likely to create unnecessary perturbation." The letter also states, "The members further observe that the associated activity of recording teachers' attendance may interrupt the academic environment, rather than meaningfully contributing to teaching, learning, and academic engagement."