When Kavitha K.* informed the college administration that she was pregnant, she was asked to quit as there was no provision for maternity leave. After 12 years as a guest lecturer, she resigned.
For the past three years, she has been working in a government college for a monthly salary of ₹10,000. “My dream is to become a guest lecturer. I have 16 years of service left,” she says. She completed her PhD in 2020.
Suresh C.* has been working at a government college for three years for a pay of ₹7,500 a month. He holds a PhD in chemistry and hopes to become a guest lecturer too. The 35-year-old travels 60 km every day, spending ₹70.
Both teachers are qualified to be guest lecturers, in accordance with the University Grants Commission requirements, but have been appointed as lecturers by the Parents Teachers Association (PTA) of their respective colleges. There are at least 800 such PTA-appointed teachers in 164 government colleges across the State.
V. Thangaraj, president of Tamil Nadu All Government College UGC Qualified Guest Lecturer Association, said the Higher Education Department had allowed appointment of teachers through the PTA in colleges where there was a dearth of guest lecturers. Such teachers are appointed by the principals of the colleges as temporary faculty. “Some of them are paid as low as ₹6,000 [a month]. Each college has a minimum of 10 such teachers. They cannot claim any benefit,” he said.
While guest lecturers are paid for 11 months in a year, though they may work 12 months, the PTA teachers are paid only for eight.
Last year, the PTA teachers approached the then Director of College Education (DCE) and submitted a petition that the UGC-qualified teachers among them be appointed as guest lecturers. “The DCE said she would consider our grievance, but nothing has changed,” Mr. Suresh said.
The PTA-appointed teachers in colleges also contend that their salaries were lower than that of the PTA-appointed teachers in schools. Mr. Thangaraj said there was a proposal to fill guest lecturer vacancies arising out of resignations. “We want the department to fill these vacancies with qualified PTA teachers. Many guest lecturers left either because the salary was low, or they were posted to distant colleges. Some of those, who were the heads of department in private colleges, opted to return to their old jobs. There are around 300 vacancies that can be filled with the PTA-appointed teachers,” he added.
*names changed on request
Published - October 04, 2024 01:03 am IST