-Reshma Ravishanker
After long deliberations with the guest lecturers’ association, Karnataka has increased the salaries of guest lecturers working in government first-grade colleges. They have also assured them of the jobs of one year.
The decisions taken by the higher education department propose that this will benefit thousands of guest lecturers working in government first-grade colleges.
Higher education minister Dr C N Ashwath Narayan, on Friday, announced that salaries have been raised by more than double. “In a novel strategy, four types of classifications have been formulated to fix the salaries. Earlier, the guest lecturers were paid a salary of Rs. 13,000 per month for those with UGC prescribed eligibility and 11,000 per month for those who do not have UGC prescribed eligibility. Now the salaries have been increased from a minimum of Rs 26,000 per month to a maximum of Rs. 32,000 per month,” the minister said.
Those who have been serving as guest lecturers for more than five years and are possessing UGC prescribed qualifications will ger a remuneration of Rs 32,000 per month, those who have been serving as guest lecturers for less than 5 years with UGC prescribed qualification will get Rs 30,000 a month and guest lecturers appointed for over 5 years but not possessing UGC prescribed qualification get Rs 28,000 a month and those who have been serving as guest lecturers for less than 5 years but not having UGC prescribed qualification Rs 26,000 per month, Minister explained.
In other significant decision that comes as a relief to the guest lecturers, it has been decided to pay the salaries before the 10th of every month and to appoint them on the academic year basis (10 months duration) instead of semester basis as earlier. He further added workload of lecturers will be readjusted in cases where there is a shortage of it.
As UGC prescribed eligibility conditions will be made mandatory for recruiting guest faculty in the coming years, three years’ time has been set for guest lecturers to clear the required tests. Seniority will be considered for appointing guest lecturers henceforth.
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