Scores of teachers under the 662 college category Block Grant system have opposed nonpayment of salary for long months and demanded that the State Government implement regular grant in form of Grant-in-Aid (GIA).
Talking to this newspaper, many lecturers resented that the Government had only cleared salary of three months in the current year.
“Ever since the Government hiked the Block Grant for the 662 brand colleges from 40 per cent to 100 per cent, it had cleared salary till December 2013. Then, after much dilly-dallying, the Government cleared salary for three months in July last while already the teachers are yet to get salary for last four months.
When the salary is too less and irregular, it becomes unmanageable for thousands of teachers and employees in the rural colleges to sustain them,” lamented several teachers here.
They added that the Government by no means can bring qualitative improvement in higher education by allowing its employees
to starve. A few teacher leaders also protested the Block Grant system itself, given its low quantum and irregularity.
They said that the Government had implemented the policy in 2008 when its finances were not sound. But more than half a decade later, it is still sticking to the policy.
They said that about 10,000 employees in the rural colleges have spent about 20 years without a single penny from the Government. And now also they have to make do with very low and irregular payment. “How long will the Government go heartless for the hapless teachersIJ Is it till they retireIJ” asked a few teacher leaders, adding that it is high time the Government gave regular GIA.
A few intellectuals joined the bandwagon saying that the State Government should no longer be evasive on paying regular GIA to the rural colleges.
They argued that the Government had increased the admission intake in the rural colleges last year by 15 per cent over their usual strength in view of a large number of applicants preferring to read in those colleges.
This year also, it has allowed them to take 20 per cent more students over their sanctioned strength. It means these colleges are growing popular among the poor rural students. Why then the teachers be paid low and irregular salaryIJ they questioned.
It may be noted here that the State Government through its Block Grant policy manages to run hundreds of rural colleges at the lowest possible expenses. Despite repeated stir and widespread resentment of the employees, it has not considered paying them their actual dues.
The lecturers are still working like contractual labourers at fixed payment. There is neither service condition, nor increment, which they could enjoy if regular GIA was paid.