Bhubaneswar, Dec. 16: Classes in many state universities were affected today as around 1,300 teachers went on a daylong strike demanding fulfilment of their charter of demands.

The teachers have called for total cease work from January 2 if their demands are not met by then. Their demands include raising of the varsity teachers' superannuation age to 65 years, implementation of the career advancement scheme, re-designation of teachers and fixation of pay and increment according to the UGC guidelines.

Barring Utkal University, where the protests were postponed because of the teachers' association elections today, dharnas were organised at Ravenshaw University, Sambalpur University, Berhampur University and North Odisha University under the Federation of Odisha University Teachers' Association.

"Two of our classes, including a practical one, was suspended because of the strike. We can very well understand our teachers' demands, and the state government should not force them to launch an agitation," said Berhampur University student Suman Rajeshwari.

The teachers said that despite several representations to the state government and the varsity chancellors, the UGC pay revision rules were not being implemented.

"It is painful that the recommendations of vice-chancellors and the respective syndicates are not honoured. The teachers' peaceful protests at universities in August had also failed to draw the authorities' attention," said Utkal University professor S.K. Tripathy.

"Higher education minister Pradeep Panigrahi had in October requested the association to refrain from cease work and assured us of looking into all our demands. But nothing has been done yet," said federation convener B. Parasar.

The teachers argued that these demands must be implemented to make teachers competitive and attract quality teachers to the state universities. "Continuous and deliberate neglect are leading to inferiority complex among the teachers. This affects the quality education in the state," said Parasar.