TN guest lecturers in a fix as varsities refuse to pay their salary

The issue persists in the colleges that were the constituent colleges of Madurai Kamaraj University, Bharathiyar, Bharathidasan and Periyar universities earlier.
Image for representational purposes only.
Image for representational purposes only.

MADURAI: Over 300 guest lecturers and non-teaching staff, who are in excess of the sanctioned strength in 41 government colleges in the State, are in dire straits as the universities are refusing to pay their salaries for the month of October. The issue persists in the colleges that were the constituent colleges of Madurai Kamaraj University, Bharathiyar, Bharathidasan and Periyar universities earlier.

Speaking to TNIE, a guest lecturer working at Government College in Andipatti said G.O. no.183 issued by the Department of Higher Education deals with the sanctioned strength of guest lecturers and non-teaching staff.

"The Excess staff's salaries were being paid by the respective universities. But now, the universities are refusing to pay the salaries. Most of the government colleges have recruited unqualified guest lecturers under the sanctioned strength. The director of Collegiate Education should issue guidelines on seniority and who should be included in the sanctioned strength," he said.

Citing an example, he said the name of a person, who is holding the position of councillor and working as a guest lecturer in a college, has been included in the sanctioned strength. "In a few cases, Computer Science graduates taking Commerce subjects have been included in the sanctioned strength. There is no uniformity in the sanctioned strength. For more than five years, we are working here as guest lecturers. Now we are going through severe mental agony as we don't know whether we will be allowed to continue in the job," he said.

Speaking to TNIE, Madurai Kamaraj University Vice-Chancellor J Kumar said excess staff were appointed by the previous VCs. "Already MKU is reeling under financial crises. In this situation, the varsity is not in a position to pay and retain the guest lecturers," he said.

Bharathiyar University Registrar K Murugavel said during a meeting on November 2, the Department of Higher Education asked them to take a decision on excess staff working in 41 colleges. "October month salary has been released by the university. Whether the excess staff will be allowed to continue work will be decided by the varsity's syndicate members," he said.

In a request for anonymity, an official from the Higher Education Department said at present universities have been asked to pay salaries for the excess staff. The department will reimburse the amount to the varsities. Both sanctioned strength and excess staff are temporary workers only," he added.

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