More pay, permanent jobs: Guest lecturers to State govt

CHENNAI: Over 7,000 guest lecturers in Tamil Nadu accuse the Tamil Nadu government of not fulfilling their long-time demand to make them permanent employees despite a court order in their favour.

According to Tamil Nadu All Government College, there are 7,374 guest lecturers employed in 164 Arts and Science colleges.

V Thangaraj, president, Guest Lecturer Association, told DT Next that guest lecturers across the State were earning only Rs 25,000 per month, which is the lowest among other states across the country. While explaining the sequence of their protest, Thangaraj claimed that the Madras High Court, Madurai Bench, in 2013, had already issued an order to appoint 16 guest lecturers with regard to the petition filed by them.

Since the government has not taken any steps, the petitioners moved for contempt of court. However, the government, which does not want to make us permanent employees, have given various reasons in their argument to neglect us,he added.

Recalling the High Court order that the State government should not appoint any faculty members in the colleges without having an amicable settlement with guest lecturers, he stated: But now, the Tamil Nadu Teachers Recruitment has issued a notification that it would recruit assistant professors in Tamil Nadu Collegiate Educational Service for government Arts and Science Colleges.

Thangaraj said that the guest lecturers protest would continue unless there was an amicable solution. At the same time, the State government should increase our monthly payment from Rs 25,000 to Rs 50,000 as per the norms from the UGC. Our counterparts in Puducherry are earning Rs 40,000 per month while in Karnataka, it's Rs 38,000/month, he pointed out.