TIRUCHY: More than 240 temporary non-teaching staff in 41 government arts and science colleges across Tamil Nadu have not received salaries since April 2025, with unions warning that the prolonged delay has pushed many employees into debt and forced them to take up odd jobs for survival.
The affected colleges were formerly constituent colleges under Bharathidasan, Bharathiar, Alagappa, Periyar, Manonmaniam Sundaranar, Thiruvalluvar and Madurai Kamaraj universities. They were converted into government colleges through orders issued in 2020.
While permanent staff were absorbed by the universities, non-teaching workers, on a consolidated pay, including junior assistants, office assistants, night watchmen, sweepers and sanitary workers were shifted to the state’s payroll.
Employees said that between 2020 and 2022, non-teaching staff received 12 months’ salary directly from the university. After 2022, the state government took over salary disbursement, but staff were paid only for 11 months each year, with May excluded.
With funds for the 2025–26 academic year yet to be sanctioned, unions said employees have now gone five months without pay. At Bharathidasan University alone, more than 55 non-teaching employees in the central and delta districts have not received wages since April, leaving employees across at least 10 colleges in limbo.
“The crisis is unbearable. Many of our members work for extra hours in petrol bunks or pawn jewellery, and some are forced to borrow at high interest just to pay school fees,” said S Balakumar, chairman of the Association of Employees of University Colleges.
“They clean classrooms, guard campuses at night, and keep colleges running, yet they are treated as invisible. Denying them salaries for months is denying them dignity,” added association secretary V Prabhakaran. They also alleged despite repeated representations to CM Cell and Higher education officials their demands were unresolved.
Beyond the wage delays, unions point to sharp disparities in pay for the same posts across universities, despite all colleges being brought under government control. A junior assistant in Bharathiar University earns Rs 16,200, while one in Bharathidasan University gets Rs 11,400.
An office assistant in Annamalai University is paid Rs 21,829 compared with Rs 7,200 in Bharathidasan University. Sweepers and night watchmen too draw varying salaries, with some earning less than the state’s minimum daily wage.
Unions have urged the Higher Education Department to release the pending salaries immediately and to enforce equal pay for equal work across all govt colleges.
“We are aware of the difficulties faced by non-teaching staff in the converted government colleges. We are working to expedite the release of funds. Salaries will be disbursed without any further delay,” said Higher Education Minister Govi Chezhian to TNIE.