Tamil Nadu guest lecturers await government order for ₹5,000 honorarium hike

Guest lecturers yet to get hike in honorarium announced in the budget

The Collegiate Education Department has told petitioners that the proposed increase in guest lecturers’ consolidated remuneration will be disbursed only after the government order is received, leaving lecturers in Tamil Nadu’s government Arts and Science colleges waiting for the announced hike.

Department awaits government order

The response came after a couple of petitions were filed recently with the Chief Minister’s Office seeking to know the status of the announcement. The department said the queries had been submitted to the government for careful consideration.

The Higher Education Minister had announced the proposed increase in the Assembly on August 24 while presenting the Demand for Grants for the Department. Under the announcement, the honorarium for guest lecturers was to be increased by ₹5,000 to ₹35,000.

However, guest lecturers in government Arts and Science colleges are still awaiting the Tamil Nadu government’s budget announcement on the hike in their honorarium. Ahead of the festival season, they had hoped that the government would take steps to remit the increased amount. The increase is expected to benefit the lecturers and their families, according to the source.

8,741 lecturers in government colleges

The Collegiate Education Department said there are a total of 8,741 guest lecturers employed in 181 government colleges and seven government colleges of education. The figures cover lecturers working across the government higher education system in the State.

If guest lecturers in engineering and polytechnic colleges are included, the total number rises to 9,646. The department’s response indicates that payment of the increased consolidated remuneration remains linked to the receipt of the government order. Until then, the lecturers continue to wait for the hike announced in the Assembly.

Source: The Hindu