Guest lecturers want higher salary, cite recent High Court judgement
The court had ordered the government to follow UGC guidelines and formulate policy
Guest lecturers want the higher education department to increase their salaries. They cite a judgement of the Madras High Court delivered in March this year which ordered the State government “to raise up to the occasion and formulate appropriate policy taking into consideration the UGC guidelines” and enhance the monthly honorarium payable to guest lecturers.
The judgement was for a petition filed by the Tamil Nadu All Government College, UGC Qualified Guest Lecturer Association. Association president V.Thangaraj hoped at least now the government would respect the judgement.
On June 10, the Department of Labour Welfare and Skill Development issued a GO increasing the salary of “contract instructors” in industrial training institute from Rs. 20,000 to Rs. 28,000. “The officials have citied rise in cost of living for the pay hike. We guest lecturers are fully qualified as per the University Grants Commission norms, but we get paid Rs. 25,000. Each time we raise the issue the government cites financial crunch,” Mr. Thangaraj said.
The guest lecturers are being paid what was recommended during the 6th Pay Commission. Mr. Thangaraj pointed out that neighbouring Karnataka pays Rs. 38,000 and Puducherry offers Rs. 40,000. In Kerala guest lecturers are paid Rs. 43,750 a month. Haryana and Punjab pay Rs. 57,700 as per the Supreme Court verdict and in Delhi a guest lecturer is paid Rs. 50,000.
“Tamil Nadu offers the lowest salary. In 2009, 1661 guest lecturers were appointed for consolidated pay when there were only 24 students in a class in government colleges. Now there are 60 students in a class, but the number of teachers has remained the same,” he pointed out.
The guest lecturers want the government to provide them with an insurance scheme. “A person with a PhD cannot be running pillar to post for medical help. We have been working for over 15 years as guest lecturers but cannot claim any benefit,” he rued.
“We have given many petitions to the government. Every time, they cite policy decisions. If the government pays so low, then the salaries for guest lecturers in private colleges is even lower,” he said. The association has demanded that they be paid Rs. 50,000 or at least on a par with those offered in neighbouring states.
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