CHENNAI: Academic activities in government arts, science colleges across Tamil Nadu have been severely affected as more than 8,000 guest lecturers continue their indefinite strike, which began on February 9. As guest lecturers are boycotting work demanding fulfillment of long-pending service and livelihood-related demands, classes are not being conducted properly.
The protesting guest lecturers, who have been serving in government colleges for over three decades, said they were appointed at various periods since 2003 in accordance with higher education department guidelines. They are currently employed on a consolidated pay of Rs 25,000 per month and expressed anguish over “continued neglect by the authorities.” They alleged that since 2021, no official from the higher education department has held discussions with them regarding their grievances. “Even when we submit petitions in person, they are received without any assurance or dialogue,” said V Thangaraj, state coordinator of Federation of Tamil Nadu All Government College Guest Lectures.
Their key demands include implementation of the Supreme Court’s direction on “equal pay for equal work” and a monthly salary of Rs 57,700 for UGC-qualified guest lecturers. They have also called for 12-month salary payment, extension of Provident Fund (PF) and Employee Fund (EF) benefits, provision of maternity leave for women lecturers, and payment of Rs 25 lakh as gratuity or compassionate assistance for retired or deceased lecturers.
“Similar benefits were earlier extended to guest lecturers in university constituent colleges, so there is absolutely no problem in implementing it uniformly across all government colleges,”added Thangaraj.
He said that 180 government arts and science colleges in the state are functioning with 50% vacancy as there has been no fresh recruitment in last one decade. “The state government is able to run the colleges only with the cooperation of guest lecturers, still they have turned blind eye towards our problem,” said K Manoharan, another guest lecturer.
Tamil Nadu Government College Teachers Association (TNGCTA) general secretary S Suresh said the academic schedule of students have been disrupted due to the protest. “The permanent faculty are trying to manage the classes in absence of guest lectures,” he added.