Guest lecturers’ remuneration cap to be hiked

Ravinder Saini

Tribune News Service

Rewari, January 18

Considering the demand of fixed remuneration raised by extension lectures (guest faculty) working at government colleges, the Higher Education Department has decided to raise the maximum limit of their remuneration from Rs 18,000 to Rs 25,000 per month.

The decision was taken during a meeting between education officials and extension lecturers at Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar’s residence in Chandigarh today. The Chief Minister also interacted with the delegation and assured them of considering their demands sympathetically, said the sources.

“Yes, we are going to enhance the maximum limit of extension lecturers’ remuneration following the High Court’s order. A notification will be issued within 15 days,” said Mohammad Shayin, Director (Higher Education).

Significantly, the extension lecturers have flayed the move stating that they want to get their remuneration fixed at Rs 25,000 per month. “The hike will not benefit us as we hardly get Rs 15,000 per month. Hence, it is illogical to raise the maximum limit from Rs 18,000 to Rs 25,000,” said Ishwar Singh, chief of the Haryana Extension Lecturers Association (AHELA). He said the education officials disappointed them by refusing to fix the remuneration. Ishwar Singh said the Chief Minister listened to their demands sympathetically, but it seemed that the officials were misleading him. “We were called by the CM office in Chandigarh to have a meeting with the education officials for resolving the issues, but the latter did not respond to our demands,” he added.

Jogender Ahlawat, an AHELA leader, said over 2,500 extension lecturers working in the government colleges were, at present, paid Rs 250 per lecture with a maximum of Rs 18,000 per month while their working hours were on a par with the regular staff.

“The High Court has already directed the government to pay us Rs 1,000 per lecture with a maximum of Rs 25,000 per month, but the Education Department wants to implement an incomplete order. The government should also pay us Rs 1,000 per lecture if the maximum limit is hiked up to Rs 25,000,” he added.

The lecturers have given a call to go on mass leave across the state on January 30 against the non-fixation of their remuneration.