Chennai: Guest lecturers working in government colleges in Tamil Nadu cannot be given a lump sum salary of Rs. 50,000 per month as they are not selected by a selection committee as per the University Grants Commission (UGC) regulations, said Sundaravalli, Director of College Education.
"The appointments of guest lecturers are made by the principals of the respective colleges. As per the procedure of the University Grants Commission, a selection committee has not been formed and guest lecturers have not been selected through it. The Tamil Nadu government is providing them with the honorarium for only 11 months in a year. Therefore, the honorarium recommended by UGC does not have to be paid," Director Sundaravalli said in reply to a question raised under the RTI by Radhika, a guest lecturer at the Government Arts and Science College, Tiruvannamalai, the Director of College Education.
Meanwhile, speaking to reporters at the Chennai Press Club today, the coordinator of the People's Education Coalition, Arasu, said, "Guest lecturers in government colleges in Tamil Nadu are paid a low salary of up to Rs. 9,000 per month. And they are being paid for only 8 months. They are working with all the qualifications as per the rules of the UGC."
Arasu further said that the guest lecturers in Tamil Nadu are paid less than the wages paid to construction workers. "They are being paid on a daily wage basis known as athakuoli. The Tamil Nadu government, which opposes the rules of the UGC, is citing the rules of the UGC to pay the salaries of guest lecturers," he said.
Similarly, speaking to reporters, the state president of the Tamil Nadu All Government Colleges UGC Qualified Parents Teachers Association (PTA) Honorary Lecturers Association, Sudhakar, said, “We have appointed 400 people in government colleges in Tamil Nadu through the Parents and Teachers Association. As per the regulations of the UGC, we are working for only eight months with full educational qualifications and at a low salary. All the lecturers who can work through the funds of the Parents and Teachers Association should be given priority work as honorary lecturers in the vacant posts with a salary of Rs. 25,000 with job security."
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