Economics and commerce lecturers are at loggerheads again over the issue of teaching economics, in the wake of a decision taken by the higher education council asking respective department heads in universities to sort out the matter.
Economics lecturers are cut up with commerce lecturers teaching economics subject, which the former believe is their domain.
Peeved by the higher council’s decision the Karnataka State Economics Teachers Federation has now decided to stage a state-wide protest and also move the court over the issue.
“The council has washed its hands of the issue by passing the buck to the HoDs. We have no faith we will get any justice,” said Prof Krishne Gowda, an economics lecturer with Bangalore University and president of the federation, said.
There are about 3,000 economics lecturers in the state, as against 7,000 in commerce.
“In some universities, we are teaching and also do paper valuation. But the problem is commerce lecturers are even setting up the question papers. So, we have no work at all although we are the subject experts,” said Krishne Gowda.
In 2009, when Aravinda Limbavali was a higher education minister, he had formed a committee headed by K Hanumanthappa, former VC of Bangalore University, to study the problem and to submit a report.
But after his demise, current higher education minister VS Acharya tasked Prof Bisallaiah with the responsibility.
The committee recently submitted its report to the higher education department.
The report came up for discussion before the higher education council on Thursday.
After discussions, the council referred the matter to the HODs concerned.
