Guest lecturers struggle to make ends meet in regional government colleges

The sit-in protest by 43 guest lecturers and administrative staff of the Government Arts and Science College, in Kodumbalur, Perambalur district over non-payment salaries, has once again brought into focus the problems faced by them in regional government educational institutions.

“Guest lecturers and hourly-basis tutors are literally running most of the erstwhile university constituent colleges that were converted into government colleges in 2019 in Tamil Nadu,” M.S. Balamurugan, State president of the Association of University Teachers (AUT), told The Hindu. Earlier in July, AUT held a fast in Chennai to protest against the non-payment of guest lecturers’ salaries.

Ten such converted government colleges in central districts come under the purview of Bharathidasan University (BDU) in Tiruchi. These are situated in Lalgudi, Orathanadu, Perambalur, Aranthangi, Nagapattinam, Srirangam, Veppur, Vedaranyam, Thiruthuraipoondi and Nannilam.

As of November 2023, 116 persons, including teachers appointed on an hourly basis, guest lecturers and administrative staff, from the 10 institutions have not been paid their salaries by BDU. Most guest lecturers earn from ₹14,000 to ₹17,000 a month.

“Even though June to April is the academic year, guest lecturers get their salary only from June to March; April’s pay is shifted to the next year. We are not paid for May. Despite this, we are often asked to be invigilators for examinations in April and May. We have appealed many times to the government and the university authorities, but there has been no solution,” said V. Thangaraj, State president, Tamil Nadu All Government College, UGC Qualified Guest Lecturer Association.

Woman guest lecturers have to face additional challenges as they are not eligible for maternity leave. “Young mothers have to resume work within two weeks of post-pregnancy confinement, which is physically stressful. Besides this, many women do not feel safe on the long commutes to and from work,” said C. Kokila, guest lecturer, Department of Tamil, Government Arts College for Women, Nilakottai.

Unlike permanent staff, guest lecturers and hourly basis tutors are ineligible for basic benefits like insurance and provident fund.

“Many people are working at their own expense in the hope that they will be absorbed into a regularised government employment contract. Having given at least 15 years to their job, they still do not have job security,” said Mr. Balamurugan of AUT.

BDU vice-chancellor M. Selvam said the pending salary issue was under discussion with the Department of Higher Education. “We have been assured by the government of support in resolving the matter,” he said.