The National Commission for Women has sought an ‘Action Taken Report’ from the State Higher Education Department regarding a complaint of discrimination against a woman teacher.
A complaint had been forwarded to the Commission by V. Thangaraj of Tiruvannamalai district, who alleged “deprivation of women’s rights/gender discrimination, including equal right to education and work”. The letter, dated February 22, said the Commission had not received any response from the department and sought to expedite the report.
Mr. Thangaraj said the Higher Education Department had not taken steps to provide maternity leave to guest lecturers in government and aided arts and science colleges, as was being done for permanent employees. While the University Grants Commission had recommended equal pay for eual work the guest lecturers are paid much lower wages.
For want of maternity leave, the women guest lecturers stand to lose their jobs in government colleges. For the past decade, the women have been forced to postpone their plans to start a family. “We have pointed out this issue several times to the Higher Education Department through letters and personal petitions. Yet no action has been taken,” said Mr. Thangaraj, president of Tamil Nadu All Government Colleges UGC Qualified Guest Lecturers Association.
“We hence petitioned the National Women’s Commission, which registered a case on January 10 and sent a notice seeking a reply within a month. But there has been no response from the department and the Commission has sent a reminder now,” he explained.
