TIRUCHY: Over 109 guest lecturers and temporary non-teaching staff working in seven government colleges, former constituent colleges of the Bharathidasan University, are yet to receive their salaries from June to August 2025, despite earlier court interventions clearing long-pending dues.
According to government orders passed in 2019, 41 constituent colleges under state universities were converted into government colleges. While permanent staff were reabsorbed by the universities, guest lecturers and temporary staff in courses without sanctioned government funding were to be paid by the universities, with reimbursement to follow later, as per a higher education department directive in 2023.
However, Bharathidasan University stopped disbursing wages to 81 guest lecturers and 28 temporary non-teaching staff in its converted colleges from November 2023 without notice. Following protests, the matter went to the Madras HC. On January 2, 2025, the court directed the university to pay five months of dues, and subsequently, in June, 12 months of salaries up to April 2025 were released.
Yet, staff complained that they have not been paid from June-August. Guest lecturers said they have been struggling with mounting debts and daily expenses. “We have been surviving without salaries for months. Even the travel to college is becoming unaffordable,” said a temporary staff member from Tiruchy.
Currently, government-appointed guest lecturers in state-run colleges receive Rs 25,000 per month. However, Bharathidasan University pays only Rs 16,000 to guest lecturers, while temporary lab and junior assistants are given just Rs 11,200. Even daily-wage staff, whose pay is fixed at Rs 633 per day, earn more, workers said.
A senior higher education official in Tiruchy said the issue has been flagged and would be addressed soon. “We are aware of the salary delays, and steps are being taken to sort this out at the earliest,” the official said.
Meanwhile, Association of University Teachers general secretary K Raja urged the TN government to intervene immediately, pay salaries directly, regularise wages to Rs 25,000 in line with government norms. “Staff are being run from pillar to post as there is still no clarity on who will release their salaries,” he said.