UGC withholding Rs 40 crore funds for seven years has hit salary for guest faculty: TN minister Chezhiaan
The minister claimed that after MK Stalin took over as chief minister when the DMK came to power in 2021, the salary of the guest lecturers was immediately increased by Rs 5,000.
CHENNAI: The Higher Education Minister Govi Chezhiaan on Tuesday blamed the University Grants Commission (UGC) for not releasing Rs 40 crore per year from 2017 onwards, which is meant to meet the salary expenses of guest lecturers appointed in State-owned colleges.
"We have been continuously asking the commission to release the funds. Till now, it has not released even a single paise," he said, adding that the State government is continuing to take steps to provide salaries to the guest lecturers, considering the students' benefit. This shows in poor lights demands for making Rs 50,000 payment to guest lecturers as per UGC norms.
The minister blamed the previous AIADMK government for the mess, saying they increased only Rs 5,000 during their ten-year regime. "They (AIADMK government) increased the salary from Rs 15,000 to Rs 20,000 per month," he said, adding that "that too was hiked at the end of their regime."
The minister claimed that after MK Stalin took over as chief minister when the DMK came to power in 2021, the salary of the guest lecturers was immediately increased by Rs 5,000.
Stating that the Higher Education Department is taking steps to appoint additional guest lecturers apart from recruiting permanent professors, he said that the improvement of higher education in the State should be appreciated rather than blamed for petty reasons.
With regard to the vacant vice-chancellor posts in several State universities, Govi Chezhiaan said, "You know who is responsible for the non-appointment of vice-chancellors in the past. However, for the benefit of students and the higher education department, the State government will soon make good decisions in this regard."
The minister said that the Tamil Nadu government provides more salary for the teaching community in higher educational institutions than the other states.
Earlier, the minister inaugurated the "Outcomes Based Education Workshop Series" organised by the Tamil Nadu State Council for Higher Education. Speaking on the occasion, Govi Chezhiaan lauded the council's efforts and urged the members to prepare exams that assess students' learning.
