Hyderabad\'s tech colleges tell lecturers to take a test to keep their job

Hyderabad: Junior lecturers and lecturers of 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 allege that this exercise is aimed at sacking some of them or forcing them to agree to 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 to send his resumé and hold a 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 management had even asked us to conduct assignments and viva voce tests using video call applications. I conducted an external viva voce 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,” Ramchander told this newspaper.

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

“In April, the management cleared salaries in two instalments but in May, I worked for 12 hours daily and got Rs 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.