Bhubaneswar: Around 300 teachers of the Utkal University Teachers' Association on Tuesday assembled in front of the varsity's administrative building to draw authorities' attention towards their demands.

Their demands include immediate implementation of the career advancement scheme (CAS), immediate repair of residential quarters, confirmation of faculty members, advance increment for MPhil/PhD holders, re-designation of readers, recruitment of non-teaching workers, new pension scheme (NPS) arrears and the insurance schemes among other demands.

Association secretary K.B. Panda said most of these issues already had directives from the UGC and the state government.

"The university authorities are ignoring the genuine needs of the faculty members," he said.

They have been staging a black-batch protest since July 10. "In future, the faculties will intensify their struggle to uphold their rights, and if need be, we would sit on indefinite hunger strike," he said.

Under the CAS, there are provisions for upgradation of teachers after fulfilment of certain norms and conditions. Sources said back in 2009, the university had a large-scale CAS promotion for faculty members. "Many faculty members have already retired from service without getting their due promotion because of the administration's apathy. While the UGC regulations made it clear that the university admission needs to complete the process of scrutiny and interview within six months of application, more than 50 faculty members have been waiting for promotion since the last CAS," he said.

Against 300 sanctioned posts, there are 160 faculty members working in the university. Also, against the 900 non-teaching staff members, there are only 300 employees.