Despite the release of grants, several part-time lecturers working in government polytechnics are yet to receive their honorarium pending since July 2019, president of the Akhila Karnataka Sarkari Polytechnic Arekalika Upanyasakara Sangha M. Prashanth has said.
Talking to reporters here, Mr. Prashanth, who is a part-time lecturer in the Government Polytechnic, Bantwal, said that after representations were presented to Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, among others, ₹ 5.12 crore was released in October to clear honorarium dues till March 2020 of 12,500 part-time lecturers from 80 government polytechnics in the State.
The dues of only a few have been cleared and there are a large number of lecturers who are still waiting for honorarium. While dues for some part-time lecturers is pending from July 2019, there are a good number of lecturers whose dues are pending from December 2019.
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Mr. Prashanth said that payment has been kept pending after a clarification was sought by polytechnic principals about the month from which the increased honorarium was to be paid. The government, in December 2019, increased the honorarium of part-time lecturers in government polytechnics from ₹ 7,500 to ₹ 12,500 per month and of those working in government engineering colleges from ₹ 10,000 to ₹ 15,000 per month.
“Despite knowing that the increase will come into effect in December, a clarification is has still been sought and we are made to wait,” Mr. Prashanth said.
The Department of Technical Education has asked government polytechnics not to use the services of part-time lecturers for conducting online classes from this academic year. Though the government announced payment of compensation for COVID-19 work till August 2020, no amount has so far been paid, Mr. Prashanth said.
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