KATHMANDU, July 31

Nepal University Teachers’ Association (NUTA), the umbrella organisation of professors from nine universities across the country, has given a three-day ultimatum to Kathmandu University (KU) administration to address the demands of Kathmandu University Professors Association (KUPA).

NUTA gave the ultimatum yesterday. KUPA has been staging various protest programmes for a year. After rounds of protest last year, the university administration had decided to form a talks team to hold discussion and address their problems. Despite rounds of talks, the university could not address their demands.

The talks team of agitating professors included Rameshwor Upadhaya, president, NUTA, Professor Chiranjibi Sharma, former member of NUTA and Bibhuti Ranjan Jha, president, KUPA; while the talks team from the university included Bipin Adhikari, Dean, School of Law; Rajendra Koju, teachers’ representative in KU senate and Mukunda Prasad Upadhaya, chief of Administration.

The four-point demand included termination of appointment of Dean in Science Faculty since he was a retired official of another university, initiation of the process of promotion and providing permanent positions to all who were victimised unlawfully, salary hike with eradication of all discrimination on a scientific basis and institutionalisation of KUPA, KU Staff Association and Student Welfare Council.

Rameshwor Upadhaya, coordinator of the talks team from the side of agitating professors on Friday said that despite five rounds of talk in a year, the problem remained as it was. He said that the university held senate meeting on Friday but there was no representation from KUPA.

A few months back, KU administration had forced Reader Deepak Raj Adhikari to take voluntary retirement because of his involvement in the KUPA protest, said coordinator Upadhaya.