Tech colleges tell lecturers to take job test

Junior lecturers and lecturers in engineering colleges have to undergo a litmus test later this week. Though they have worked for a year, their colleges have asked them to apply afresh and give demonstration classes to protect their jobs.

The junior teaching staff alleges that this exercise is aimed at sacking some of them or forcing a wage cut. Violating government rules, their salaries have already been unofficially cut.

Ramchander, lecturer at a popular engineering college in Chevella, says he has worked here for two years, and yet he was asked for his resumé and has to hold his demonstration class next week.

“These orders came after we have worked for at least 12 hours for two months during the Covid-19 lockdown period with 50 per cent pay. The college management had even asked us to conduct assignments and viva using video call applications. I conducted an external viva which was attended online by professors from JNTU-H (Jawaharlal Nehru Technical University, Hyderabad). Nothing of this is taken into consideration. The management said if it is not satisfied with the demonstration classes, it will be ‘forced’ to take a call on my job,” Mr Ramchander told this newspaper.

Nagendra Prasad, who lectures at a famous engineering college in Kompally, said junior lecturers and lecturers are already underpaid. The monthly salary of a junior lecturer is `36,000, fixed by the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), but they are paid only `28,000.

“In April, the management cleared salaries in two instalments but in May, I worked for 12 hours daily and got `14,000! The issue has been brought to the notice of the JNTU and has yet to be sorted out,” he said.

He alleged that every engineering college in the city is hand-in-glove with the JNTU and managing external marks, salaries and several other flaws. “About 13,000 teaching staff will be on the roads if they do not agree to the conditions laid down by the managements of the colleges,” he said.

THE JUNIOR teaching staff alleges that this exercise is aimed at sacking some of them or forcing a wage cut in violation of government rules