Anna Univ's move to outsource non-teaching staff on daily wage basis under fire

CHENNAI: Considered the first engineering college in south India, Anna University seems to script a dubious history after announcing that it will hire teaching faculty and non-teaching staff on a daily wage basis, that too through outsourcing mode.

Though the University quickly withdrew its decision and clarified that ‘only non-teaching staff will be hired on contract’, this move did not sit well with folks in the University.

Following backlash from various stakeholders, mostly academicians, the University recoiled its decision as merely a ‘case of negligence’.

The Registrar issued a circular on November 21 that non-teaching temporary staff members would be appointed on daily wages/consolidated pay on an outsourcing basis only.

Further, the circular noted that if need be, the temporary staff members may be engaged only for the project's duration, and their daily wage/consolidated pay will be met with the project fund.

This decision has irked over 1,100 existing non-teaching staff working at the University, who alleged that the management is biased towards them.

In the four campuses-the College of Engineering, Guindy (CEG), Madras Institute of Technology (MIT), Chromepet, Alagappa College of Technology (ACTECH) and School of Architecture and Planning-there are over 1,100 non-teaching staff working on a daily wage/ consolidated pay. Additionally, over 250 permanent non-teaching staff are also working at the varsity.

Speaking to DT NEXT, a non-teaching staff member said, “We have worked at the University for several decades, contributing greatly to the institution over the years. The University withdrew the announcement of outsourcing faculty appointments. But how come the same method can be fine for non-teaching staff?”

He further pointed out that lab technicians also play a crucial role in teaching students. Likewise, several non-teaching staff have contributed in their capacity and now need more job certainty after the latest announcement by the university Registrar.

The non-teaching staff have alleged that their jobs haven’t been regularised despite working for several years. They have not been entitled to benefits such as provident funds or entitled leaves, among others.

“With the recent announcement, the plight of 900 non-teaching staff on daily wage/consolidated pay remains uncertain. Though former higher-ups assured us that we won’t lose our jobs, still we have not been given any clear assurance,” a non-teaching staff noted.

Drawing parallels with the plight of non-teaching staff in University of Madras, K Kathiravan, the state convener of Tamil Nadu Federation of Universities Faculty Association (TANFUFA) pointed out that the recent move is a ‘misuse of power and misuse of money’.

“The non-teaching staff in Madras University are kept as bonded labourers by not being paid a salary on time. This trend will also continue at Anna University now. The saddening issue is that these workers are also not in a position to claim their right and report it to the government or approach it legally,” Kathiravan explained.

He further added that the contractors, at most times, do not pay Goods and Services Tax (GST) to the government, but the amount is collected from the university.

The University of Madras has 350 temporary staff on all its campuses. Since December 2023, these staff have been facing salary delays and have received half their salary for December.

“After several issues, we received pending salaries. However, we haven't received July month salary. Employing staff on daily wage through a contractor is labour abuse. And the condition of both new and existing non-teaching staff working at Anna University will turn unpleasant, like those at the University of Madras,” claimed security at the University.

Reacting to the move by Anna University, I Elangovan, the honorary president of the employees’ union at Thiruvalluvar University, Periyar University and Bharathidasan University, said, “We have moved 200 years back with this announcement. And, the government and universities wanting to move non-teaching staff to a daily wage show their approach to treating workers as mere labourers and not as people.”

The management of both universities did not respond when they were contacted.