Scores of contractual lecturers held a protest here on Friday, demanding permanent job policy and other service benefits to them.
The lecturers from different districts assembled at PressEnclave to protest against what they called their “exploitation” by HigherEducation Department.
The lecturers said some of them have been working ascontractual lecturers for more than a decade.
“Many of us have completed PhDs; some among us are postdoctorates while others have qualified NET. But our future is still in lurch.There are some among us who have been working with the department for more thana decade,” said one of the lecturers.
“We have given our youth to the department. Most of us havealready crossed the age bar, but each time our pleas to seek a permanent jobpolicy for us fell on deaf ears,” said Aftab Ahmed, one of the protestinglecturers.
He asked if the State Government can absorb 40,000 ReTs whatwas preventing it from forming a job policy for 1500 contractual lectures.
The protesting lecturers said that over the years they werebeing “exploited” and not paid as per the UGC guidelines.
“It is ironic that government strictly follows UGCguidelines while appointing us, but the same guidelines are trashed by thedepartment when it comes to our job security and salaries,” said anotherprotesting lecturer.
These lecturers said if their demands were not fulfilledthey will start mass protests. “The responsibility will squarely lie with theGovernment,” the lecturers said.