SHUBHANGI SHIFA
Ranchi, Sept 27: The guest lecturers, also known as bell-based assistant professors, of Ranchi University are yet to receive a salary for several months since January 2021. As per information, several guest lecturers have not received salaries for some months, while others have been facing issues since March this year.
As per information, around 300 guest lecturers are members of the RU faculty at different colleges. If paid Rs 30000-Rs 35000 per month, the amount owed to these lecturers would, very well be in lakhs, if not over one crore.
Lecturers at the university departments have seen issues in payment since May 2022, while those at SS Memorial College have faced issues since February 2022. While those at B S College Lohardaga claim that they have not received salary since January 2021. Meanwhile, lecturers at Ram Lakhan Singh Yadav College have been given salary for February, while after April, they were not given salaries after April.
Dr Tribhuvan Shahi said, “Our salaries are delayed for months. As a result, we face several problems at our homes. House expenses, grocery expenses and even fees at schools of our children are sometimes delayed.”
Dr Nivedita Munmun said, “Sometimes salary delays can extend up to 10-12 months. All we hope that we get salaries before the puja atleast.”
Another guest lecturer Virendra Mahato said, “The department heads send the bills on time, however, the university management delays sending the bill to the required department.”
Meanwhile, the president of the Vocational Teachers’ Association Avdhesh Kumar said, “The salary should be regular. Here, if we require some amount, we are given Rs 5000-Rs 10000 which is often delayed.”
When questioned in this regard, RU VC Prof Dr Ajit Kumar Sinha said, “This is the reason why the university has made a rule to not hire guest teachers before permission from the university administration. This is because a limited amount of funds are provided to pay these teachers.”
“However, earlier, teachers would be hired in other colleges of the university not because of their qualification, but their relationship with college officials, which in turn, affected the education of students. Once the university realized this, the rule was made,” the VC added.
When questioned regarding teachers hired before the rule was declared, the VC said that the amount has been issued and sent to the treasury. “They will receive their salary before September 28,” he added.
However, it is still not clear if all the dues of the said teachers will be cleared.
