THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Hundred-odd guest lecturers of University Institute of Technology (UIT) centres under Kerala University are at the receiving end as they haven’t got their remuneration for the past several months owing to the institute’s red-tapism.
The lockdown has made things difficult for them as the university demanded back the lockdown grant of Rs 10,000 given for the period from February 21 to March 20 even during the testing times of Covid-19 pandemic. As per the university order issued on April 2, 2020, Vice- Chancellor V P Mahadevan Pillai ordered that the payment of remuneration to guest lecturers in UITs for the period from February 21, 2020, to March 22, 2020, could not be processed and therefore the principals of UIT centres should take steps to begin submitting work statements and pay proportional wages.
However, the lecturers said that they haven’t got any pay so far and the condition of lecturers who have MPhil and PhD degrees remain pathetic. In his order, Pillai said that the UIT principals are entrusted to make the payment only after verification of the amount due to them and each guest lecturer should be paid a maximum amount of Rs10,000 during the lockdown period.
Though the lecturers were paid Rs 10,000, the varsity later demanded the money back citing that the lecturers are entitled to get pay only for the work done. The guest lecturers of UITs don’t have any association and hence their issues are being unaddressed. Unable to continue without salary, many lecturers left their jobs. There are over 100 guest lecturers in 37 UIT centres in the state. They are now being forced to borrow money to meet their expenses. Some even took taking to tuitions.