Guest faculties being exploited in Govt colleges
| Date :05-Jul-2019 |
Staff Reporter:
Bhilai
They work equal or more than regular professors of colleges, but in terms of salary per month, there is a difference of over 200% in of regular faculties and these guest faculties of different subjects who render their teaching services at colleges of State. At present, 70% of the teachings in all of government as well as government aided colleges across State have been managed by these guest teachers or faculties. They have equal qualification, knowledge and research activities, but acquire only one-tenth part of salary of their regular counterparts and also to face work exploitation from them too.
It may be mentioned here that there are mere number of assistant as well as associate professors working in all of 210 government colleges and 45 government aided colleges of State in last seven years. Because of it, erstwhile State Government had come up with this idea of guest teachers’ staffing in all colleges to fill the gap. These guest lecturers or teachers of different subjects have post graduate, M Phil and even doctorate of their respective subject with clearance of NET and CSET as per norms of University Grants Commission (UGC).
But their salaries are in the range of 8,000 to 15,000 rupees per months only. On the other hand, a regular associate professor of a Government college earns 70,000 rupees per month while while assistant professor and professor’s pay package is 90,000 and 1.25 lakh rupees or above per month respectively. Secondly, these guest faculties have been appointed to teach only for 7 to 10 months. In spite of this huge difference in salary, most of the guest lecturers take 5 to 6 periods every day. On the other hand, regular professors take only 3 to 4 periods per day.
Apart from these irregularities, guest lecturers have to face one major problem and that is work exploitation of regular professors on them. In majority of government and government aided colleges, regular professors force these guest teachers to take more periods and also to other works like evaluation of test papers. Even college administration also force these guest teachers especially in rural areas to do other non teaching works and fear of losing job, these guest lecturers do all work. One of these guest lecturers in terms of anonymity said that many of us are given multiple works along with teaching and have to run from one department to another. Because of it, many of them quit the job and despite doctorate qualification they join schools, he added.
From last one decade, there are 1,650 posts of assistant professors in government higher educational institutions are lying vacant and both erstwhile government of BJP and current government of Congress apart from announcement do nothing to materialise it and fill the gap. In past few months, some of assistant professors posts were filled in government colleges, but that also in turtle speed and also with lots of controversies. Dr Mahesh Sharma, retired principal of Government College, Bemetara and also of former board academic member of Pt Ravishankar Shukla University Raipur stated that it is true that these guest lecturers in colleges have to suffer a lot of exploitation in work and also in finance sector. Along with regular appointment, State Higher Education Department should also raise the salaries and other financial perks of these faculties. When approached, Umesh Patel, Higher Education Minister of Chhattisgarh about it, he replied at present with the efforts of Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, State Government is going to recruit over 1,350 vacant posts of assistant professors in government institutes. It is big measure so takes some time to materialise, he added.