An instruction from the Higher Education Secretary to the Director of College Education has upset guest lecturers.
In February, Higher Education Secretary D. Karthikeyan held a meeting with the college education department officials. One of the issues discussed was the regularisation of Annamalai University staff. The principal secretary has instructed the DCE to send a proposal for the regularisation “at the earliest” so that it can be taken up in the review meeting slated for March 11.
The instruction has come as a blow to guest lecturers. V. Thangaraj, president of the Tamil Nadu All Government College UGC-qualified Guest Lecturers Association, said in 2019 the government had called for 331 posts but the recruitment process was later abandoned.
“In February 2020, the department sanctioned 1,146 posts through a government order (G. O. 56) and the guest lecturers were called for certificate verification. But private colleges stalled the process through the court. However, the verdict was in favour of appointing guest lecturers,” he recalled.
The same year the department announced the conduct of a special test through Teachers Recruitment Board for guest lecturers. Those qualifying in it would be appointed in sanctioned posts and their service would be regularised, it said. But nothing has come of it either.
For over a decade and a half, the department has been reappointing guest lecturers for a consolidated pay. In 2010, the UGC mandated ₹50,000 as monthly salary but the State government pays only ₹20,000.
“At the review meeting, the government had discussed about Annamalai University staff. It is well known that the University appointed faculty in excess of sanctioned strength and the excess staff have been deputed to other government colleges. It is only recently that the government has taken over the University. Besides these teachers are getting salary as per the 7th Pay Commission when our jobs are not even assured. Yet the government is looking to regularise their services while we are left in the lurch,” Mr. Thangaraj rued.
More distressing is the death of 14 guest lecturers while on duty during the pandemic. “It is significant to note that this government, like its predecessor, has not offered any compensation to lives lost,” he added.
