Kakinada: The new proceedings that have been handed over to contract faculty in the constituent colleges of Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University Kakinada (JNTUK) are causing concern as there is a noticeable discrimination between engineering and non-engineering Ph.D holders when it comes to fixing of salaries.
According to contract faculty members, previously both were treated on par and given equal salaries but now the non-engineering ones are paid less. According to the revised process, an assistant professor (contract) with ‘Ph.D’’ qualification in engineering/M.Pharm, MBA, M.Sc, MA, M.Com, M.C.A, M.P.Ed and MLIC with ‘both Ph.D and NET and SLET or SET qualifications’ will be given a monthly salary of Rs. 40,000. In contrast, those with M.E, M.Techineering, M. Pharm, M.Sc, MA, M.Com, M.C.A, M.P.Ed and MLIC with Ph.D or NET/SLET/SET qualification will draw Rs. 35,000.
Contract faculty members state that this is in violation of University Grants Commission (UGC) norms, which does not discriminate between engineering and non-engineering Ph.Ds. Even JNTUK never had such a bias till 2019.
“Every subject has its own significance. There is no salary hike for PG graduates without Ph.D and their condition is miserable. The university never considered their vast teaching experience,’’ said a senior faculty member. He said that in the matter of permanent employees, all the engineering and non-engineering faculties draw equal salary as per UGC norms.
He wondered how the varsity could discriminate when it comes to contract faculty members, though they work full-time.
Meanwhile, in the new contract forms, UCEK contract faculty members have not been given any pay hikes, while constituent colleges like Narsaraopeta and Vizianagaram have renewed the agreements with revised salaries.
UCEK principal B.Balakrishna said that the salaries of the contract faculty members would be given as per the new salary policy and they need not worry about it. But in the matter of classification of salaries, they were fixed as per JNTUK guidelines, he clarified.
