THENI: Six guest lecturers attached to the Government Arts and Science College at Kottur in the district have claimed they have still not been paid salaries from September 2019 to March 2020.
"Several petitions submitted to the Chief Minister Cell and the Director of Collegiate Education have gone in vain," they said.
The college has 28 guest lecturers, and six among them -- S Dhanalakshmi, Nagendrakumar, Jeyalakshmi, Mohamed Fathima and Suresh Kumar -- have not received the salaries for seven months. Speaking to TNIE, Dhanalakshmi said, "I had worked in the Tamil department of this college for five years. For taking one hour class, the college paid me Rs 125. However, from September 2019 to March 2020, I was not paid anything, and in March 2020, they said I won't be able to take classes thereon as I did not possess the UGC's prescribed qualification of PG with SET/NET/Ph.D."
Pointing out a UGC guideline stating those who completed M.Phil. degree before 2019 could get exemption from the qualification rule, and be allowed to qualify themselves while being employed at the college, Dhanalakshmi added, "Some teachers were granted this benefit, but not me. I have submitted my Ph.D. thesis, and am waiting for the viva voce exam. I sent petitions regarding this to the Director of Collegiate Education and the Chief Minister Cell. Regional Joint Director P Ponmuthuramalingam disposed of my petition, which was directed to him from the CM cell, claiming that I sought a permanent position in the college."
Ponmuthuramalingam refuted the allegation and said, "Though Government Arts and Science College, Kottur is a government college, the funds for running it come from the Madurai Kamaraj University (MKU) because it was an MKU-constituent college earlier. Usually, the college principal sends the monthly bills to MKU, and the university then pays the guest lecturers' salaries. As to why the salaries of these six persons are pending, I do not know. I have asked the college principal to send me a report on this issue, and after I receive it, I will direct the MKU to pay their salaries."
Director of MKU and in-charge of MKU constituent colleges Prof. Chandrasekar told TNIE the guest lecturers' grievance petition is under process. Minister for Higher Education K Ponmudy and Principal Secretary to Higher Education Department D Karthikeyan were unavailable for comment.