The Tamil Nadu All Government College UGC Qualified Honorary Lecturers Association has urged the Chief Minister to cover the teachers in this category under medical insurance.
Citing the death of a guest lecturer in the Orathanadu Goverment Arts College, State president of the association V. Thangaraj said a reasonable compensation has to be provided to the families of guest lecturers who die in harness. It will be ideal to cover the guest lecturers in all government colleges under a group insurance scheme, Mr. Thangaraj said, seeking sufficient compensation for the family of the guest lecturer in Orathanad Government Arts College who had been in service since 2007.
Unlike in the erstwhile constituent units in other State varsities where teachers of institutions that have been converted into government colleges receive ₹ 20,000 as monthly salary, those in 10 such institutions in the ambit of Bharathidasan University are paid only ₹15,000. Over the last five months, the guest lecturers have received salary only for three months, due to which they were facing mounting problems at personal levels. So far, 13 guest lecturers have died due to emotional stress, and illness, he said.
The insufficient remuneration has made things worse; there have been instances of several guest lecturers divorcing their spouses due to the financial predicament, Mr. Thangaraj said. More than 10 guest lecturers have retired from their temporary positions, he added.
