The latest communication from the Directorate of Collegiate Education to Regional Joint Directors seeking details of teaching and non-teaching staff in erstwhile constituent colleges, which were converted into government colleges of arts and science, has come as a huge relief for cash-strapped State universities.
In particular, Bharathidasan University, which had the highest number of 10 out of the 41 constituent colleges in its fold, will be able to save close to ₹2 crore every month spent towards salaries for around 700 guest lecturers and non-teaching staff.
As per the Government Order issued during February, State universities were required to meet the salary expenses till June. The salary for June for guest lecturers in the constituent colleges of Bharathidasan University will be released in a day or two, official sources said.
The university, however, has not implemented an order issued by the government early this year for enhancing the monthly salary of a guest lecturer from ₹15,000 to ₹20,000 due to lack of approval from Finance Committee and Syndicate.
According to university sources, effecting the hike would have caused drastic financial burden on the already cash-strapped university
Teachers’ organisations say the State government must start paying the guest lecturers ₹20,000 per month from July and also settle the arrears of the last few months.
Representatives of guest lecturers in government arts and science colleges emphasise that the government must be prompt in settling the arrears and paying the enhanced amount since there was no other source of income for them.
According to a guest lecturer in one of the converted constituent colleges for over a decade, even the enhanced salary of ₹20,000 was far below the ₹50,000 monthly honorarium specified by University Grants Commission.
