TIRUCHY: Guest lecturers of government arts and science colleges have complained they have no sources of income in the lockdown and are seeking government help in the form of salary payments in this period.
They said they have not been compensated since April and asked for the government to release their salaries soon or provide them some relief.
Though guest faculty are not paid for vacations, they argued that this was not a vacation period, but a pandemic.
A guest faculty from Pudukkottai said, “The government is considerate enough to recommend private companies not fire or cut pay of employees in this pandemic. I wish they also extend this empathetic view to guest lecturers and pay us salaries. If that is not possible, they could give us some form of relief.”
Through various associations of guest lecturers said they have petitioned the government on the matter, they are still awaiting a response.
“Usually for practical exam duty and evaluation, it is the guest lecturers who do the work. In May, we have no vacation pay. If we got paid, it would be of some help,” said a Tiruchy guest lecturer. Many guest lecturers complained they usually get their salaries for all the months, after and including April, cumulatively, after August.
While they said they used to take loans from friends and relatives, with the pandemic, they can no longer approach them.
A guest lecturer from Ariyalur said, “In previous years, people would loan us money without much thought knowing we could pay them back. We pay back by Deepavali each year at the latest. This year, everyone is cash-strapped in the lockdown and themselves struggling to get back on their feet.”
Regional Joint Director of College Education Arivudainambi said, “The guest faculty do not have work now. They have sent petitions to the department and the government would look into it.”