Contract Teachers From 12 Telangana State Universities Stage Dharna Against GO 31

Hyderabad:Contract teachers from 12 state universities staged a dharna on Thursday against GO 31, issued on October 13, demanding regularisation of 1,200 teachers before fresh recruitment. They also sought UGC pay scales, job security and retirement benefits.

The University Teachers’ Association (Contract), Telangana (UTACTS), said the order went against an assurance allegedly given by Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy after an 11-day strike last year. The association said the government had agreed to resolve their demands before recruiting teachers to posts other than those occupied by existing contract faculty.

“Without resolving these issues, the government has issued this GO,” the association said, adding that the Telangana Education Commission had recommended absorbing contract teachers who possessed the required qualifications, including NET, SET and PhD, into regular service. The association also complained that their salaries remained lower than those of junior, degree and polytechnic lecturers.

The teachers demanded “equal work equal pay” under the seventh UGC pay revision scales until regularisation, along with job security. They also sought Rs 30 lakh in retirement benefits and recruitment to the remaining vacancies only after absorbing existing contract faculty. They cited Supreme Court judgments, including the Jagjit Singh and Uma Devi cases, in support of its demands.