Chandigarh, February 6
In at least 48 government colleges, the guest faculty has raised a banner of revolt against their “exploitation”. Employed on an ad hoc basis, these teachers are paid a measly Rs 10,000 per month whereas the regular staff are paid Rs 45,000 -Rs 80,000.
Wages to the guest faculty are paid from the Parents-Teachers Association (PTA) fund set up in each college. During
admission, the colleges collects Rs 1,000-Rs 2,500 from each student towards PTA fund. It is from this fund that salary is paid to the guest teachers.
These teachers are employed for just seven months, from mid-July to mid-February and the fiscal burden (Rs 49 crore each academic session) is borne by the parents of students and not the government, said Jaipal Singh, president of the Government College Teachers Association.
“Before the assembly poll, the state government had ordered that a sum of Rs 3,000 per month be paid to these teachers from the state treasury. The remaining sum (Rs 7,000) was to be paid from the PTA fund. But the entire salary is now being paid from the PTA fund,” said Harminder Singh, president of the Guest Faculty Teachers Union.
“The state government is exploiting us. Most of us hold an M.Phil degree but are paid less than a skilled worker,” he said. The guest teachers were initially employed at a paltry Rs 5,000 per month. The salary was raised to Rs 7,000 in 2007 and Rs 10,000 in 2013, he said.
Most government colleges are almost completely dependent on their guest faculty. In Government College, Malerkotla, there are 46 guest teachers, eight part-time and 15 regular teachers. In Government college, Sunam, there are 28 guest teachers, four regular and eight part-time teachers. Government Mohindra Colleges have 56 guest lecturers.
“We have been staging dharnas and have stopped taking classes. We will not evaluate answer papers. We will continue to protest till we are given a basic pay of Rs 15,600 and a grade pay of Rs 6,000 per month from the state treasury,” Harminder Singh said.
A senior official of the Higher Education Department said the process to get sanction for 1,925 posts of college teachers was on. The sanctioned strength earlier was 1,873. “The case will be placed before the state Cabinet for approval after which the process for recruitment of regular staff will begin,” he said.
The state government has played havoc with teaching work in its colleges. There are four categories of teachers in these colleges — regular teachers, part-time teachers, guest teachers and those on contract. The most exploited are the guest teachers. Part-time teachers are paid Rs 39,000 per month.
There has been no recruitment of regular teachers since 1996 when 200 teachers were recruited by the Punjab Public Services Commission. During 2007-08, as many as 50 English language teachers were recruited. Posts for other subjects were not filled.
Against the sanctioned strength of 1,873 regular teachers, only 800 teachers are on regular appointment. The remaining are either guest teachers, part-time teachers or on contract.
Who pays for the guest faculty
Wages to the guest faculty are paid from the Parents-Teachers Association (PTA) fund
During admission, colleges collect Rs 1,000-Rs 2,500 from each student that goes to the PTA fund
The teachers are employed for just seven months, from mid-July to mid-February
The fiscal burden (Rs 49 crore each academic session) is borne by the parents of students
No regular staff in govt colleges
Most government colleges are almost completely dependent on their guest faculty
In Govt College, Malerkotla, there are 46 guest teachers, eight part-time and 15 regular teachers
In Govt college, Sunam, there are 28 guest teachers, four regular and eight part-time teachers
Government Mohindra Colleges in the state have 56 guest lecturers
Four categories of teachers
Against the sanctioned strength of 1,873 regular teachers, only 800 teachers are on regular appointment. The remaining are either guest teachers, part-time teachers or on contract.
We have been staging dharnas and have stopped taking classes. We will not evaluate answer papers. We will continue to protest till we are given a basic pay of Rs 15,600 and a grade pay of Rs 6,000 per month from the state treasury
—Harminder Singh, guest faculty teachers union chief
In at least 48 government colleges, the guest faculty has raised a banner of revolt against their “exploitation”. Employed on an ad hoc basis, these teachers are paid a measly Rs 10,000 per month whereas the regular staff are paid Rs 45,000 -Rs 80,000.
Wages to the guest faculty are paid from the Parents-Teachers Association (PTA) fund set up in each college. During
admission, the colleges collects Rs 1,000-Rs 2,500 from each student towards PTA fund. It is from this fund that salary is paid to the guest teachers.
These teachers are employed for just seven months, from mid-July to mid-February and the fiscal burden (Rs 49 crore each academic session) is borne by the parents of students and not the government, said Jaipal Singh, president of the Government College Teachers Association.
“Before the assembly poll, the state government had ordered that a sum of Rs 3,000 per month be paid to these teachers from the state treasury. The remaining sum (Rs 7,000) was to be paid from the PTA fund. But the entire salary is now being paid from the PTA fund,” said Harminder Singh, president of the Guest Faculty Teachers Union.
“The state government is exploiting us. Most of us hold an M.Phil degree but are paid less than a skilled worker,” he said. The guest teachers were initially employed at a paltry Rs 5,000 per month. The salary was raised to Rs 7,000 in 2007 and Rs 10,000 in 2013, he said.
Most government colleges are almost completely dependent on their guest faculty. In Government College, Malerkotla, there are 46 guest teachers, eight part-time and 15 regular teachers. In Government college, Sunam, there are 28 guest teachers, four regular and eight part-time teachers. Government Mohindra Colleges have 56 guest lecturers.
“We have been staging dharnas and have stopped taking classes. We will not evaluate answer papers. We will continue to protest till we are given a basic pay of Rs 15,600 and a grade pay of Rs 6,000 per month from the state treasury,” Harminder Singh said.
A senior official of the Higher Education Department said the process to get sanction for 1,925 posts of college teachers was on. The sanctioned strength earlier was 1,873. “The case will be placed before the state Cabinet for approval after which the process for recruitment of regular staff will begin,” he said.
The state government has played havoc with teaching work in its colleges. There are four categories of teachers in these colleges — regular teachers, part-time teachers, guest teachers and those on contract. The most exploited are the guest teachers. Part-time teachers are paid Rs 39,000 per month.
There has been no recruitment of regular teachers since 1996 when 200 teachers were recruited by the Punjab Public Services Commission. During 2007-08, as many as 50 English language teachers were recruited. Posts for other subjects were not filled.
Against the sanctioned strength of 1,873 regular teachers, only 800 teachers are on regular appointment. The remaining are either guest teachers, part-time teachers or on contract.
Who pays for the guest faculty
Wages to the guest faculty are paid from the Parents-Teachers Association (PTA) fund
During admission, colleges collect Rs 1,000-Rs 2,500 from each student that goes to the PTA fund
The teachers are employed for just seven months, from mid-July to mid-February
The fiscal burden (Rs 49 crore each academic session) is borne by the parents of students
No regular staff in govt colleges
Most government colleges are almost completely dependent on their guest faculty
In Govt College, Malerkotla, there are 46 guest teachers, eight part-time and 15 regular teachers
In Govt college, Sunam, there are 28 guest teachers, four regular and eight part-time teachers
Government Mohindra Colleges in the state have 56 guest lecturers
Four categories of teachers
Against the sanctioned strength of 1,873 regular teachers, only 800 teachers are on regular appointment. The remaining are either guest teachers, part-time teachers or on contract.
We have been staging dharnas and have stopped taking classes. We will not evaluate answer papers. We will continue to protest till we are given a basic pay of Rs 15,600 and a grade pay of Rs 6,000 per month from the state treasury
—Harminder Singh, guest faculty teachers union chief
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