Contractual assistant professors in the government-run universities of Telangana find themselves in a disadvantaged position in the absence of regularisation of jobs. Recently, contract lecturers in junior, degree and polytechnic colleges were offered regularised positions by the state government, but assistant professors at universities are yet to get this benefit. They have been agitating for the last month over the matter.
The assistant professors have organised rallies and dharnas at all 12 universities in the state since April. A state-level convention was held at Kakatiya University, Warangal and Osmania University, Hyderabad. The agitators also gathered in front of the house of Sabitha Indra Reddy, Telangana's Minister of Education, chanting slogans.
Representations to the university vice-chancellors, minister and secretary of education, the Planning Commission Board, other ministers including the CM's son KT Rama Rao Minister for Municipal Administration and IT, MLCs K Kavitha and Palla Rajeswar Reddy and MLAs have been made by the contractual faculty four to five times as well since April. "Other states like Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Rajasthan, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and West Bengal have already regularised assistant professors. We submitted our representations with this data, including the court's regularisation judgments from these states," said Dr Parandamulu, State Media Coordinator, Contract Assistant Professors' Joint Action Committee (JAC).
In response, Dr Parandamulu informs that though they have repeatedly received assurances of regularisation from the government, nothing official has been declared yet. "Even in a recent Assembly session, PDP and TRS leaders, MLA Akbaruddin Owaisi and CM KTR spoke on the matter, but it is still limited to oral assurances only. The official paperwork has not started," he said.
The agitators want their demands addressed before the state elections, which are due in a couple of months.
Regularisation and its role
Explaining the key role that universities play in nation-building, Dr Parandamulu says that they are asking for regularisation not only for themselves but to strengthen the universities of the state. "The NAAC (National Assessment and Accreditation Council) grading and NIRF (National Institutional Ranking Framework) ranking for the universities have fallen because of the lack of permanent teaching staff," he claims.
The coordinator further said that a number of sanctioned posts in the universities were vacant and continue to remain so while the number of permanent faculty dwindled and the number of contractual faculty increased. "This is because no recruitment has been made in the state since 2013, before Telangana was formed. A number of permanent faculty have retired or died," Dr Parandamulu explains.
As per the data shared by him, this is how the situation stands:
"If the government makes the contract teachers regular, it will not financially burden the government. If new faculty are appointed without making them regular, they have to be given salaries, and an additional financial burden will be placed on the government," reads a statement from the affected faculty members.
It may be known that the Telangana Public Service Commission (TSPSC) issued a recruitment notice for the post of assistant professor in the state colleges on December 31, 2022. A total of 544 posts were advertised, and April 9, 2023 was the last date to apply.
Assurances were given
Notably, the contractual assistant professors were assured of regularisation before the new state was formed by the government, Dr Parandamulu said. "Around 25 people retired and 30 died while waiting for this," the statement mentions, adding that those who retired did not get any retirement benefits, and those who died did not receive any compensation.
Dr Parandamulu highlighted that they have the same qualifications as those in regular posts and perform the same duties, sometimes even more. "We have PhD, NET, SET and other qualifications. We teach UG and PG students and assist them as research guides. We also offer administrative services like working as wardens, NSS and Placement officers. Then why will we not be regularised?" he questions.
As of now, 1,445 assistant professors are waiting for regularisation. The Telangana High Court had stayed regularisation for teachers (as per government order 16) in the last five to six years. The stay was removed in April this year, after which, the government regularised the contractual lecturers in colleges. And immediately afterwards, the contractual assistant professors began their agitation.
