Part-time lecturers, who teach 15 classes a week and hold PhDs while clearing the National Eligibility Test, are paid less than Rs 30,000 per month. In contrast, regular teachers earn over Rs 1 lakh for teaching just 16 classes. Dr. Manchala Lingaswamy, President of the Telangana All Universities Part-Time Teachers Association (TGAUPTA)

metro india news  I hyderabad

For the tenth day in a row, contract assistant professors and part-time lecturers across Telangana’s 12 state universities have ramped up protests, demanding job regularisation, equal pay, and the fulfillment of long-standing government promises. The protests have gained state-wide attention, shedding light on the challenges faced by thousands of educators working without basic job security and benefits.

About 1,270 Assistant professors from across the state universities including Osmania University, Telangana University, Mahatma Gandhi University, Kakatiya University have been seeking regularisation of their services, job security, payment of basic pay along with Dearness Allowance (DA) and House Rent Allowance (HRA), and a 3% annual salary. 

Despite possessing the required qualifications — including NET clearances and PhDs — and years of service, these faculty members continue to work under precarious conditions without the benefits enjoyed by their permanently appointed counterparts.

Alongside them, over 850 part-time lecturers are staging separate protests with their own charter of demands. They are pressing for the immediate implementation of the Congress party’s 2023 General Election manifesto promise, which assured Rs 50,000 per month salary for part-time lecturers (PTLs) for the entire year. PTLs are also demanding recognition of their years of service and elevation to the position of Assistant Professors (Contract) in forthcoming regular recruitment drives.

Dr. Manchala Lingaswamy, President of the Telangana All Universities Part-Time Teachers Association (TGAUPTA) said, "Part-time lecturers, who teach 15 classes a week and hold PhDs while clearing the National Eligibility Test (NET), are paid less than Rs 30,000 per month. In contrast, regular teachers earn over Rs 1 lakh for teaching just 16 classes. We urge the government to honour its manifesto promise and put an end to this unfair disparity without delay."

Symbolic protests, including sweeping university campuses while carrying pens, have been staged to highlight the perceived neglect of educators. The protests have garnered political backing, with figures such as BJP MLA Payal Shankar and BC leader R. Krishnaiah participating in the "Chalo Osmania" rally on April 23.

However, a significant setback came recently when the Telangana High Court struck down Government Order (GO) 16, which aimed to regularise contract lecturers in degree, polytechnic, and junior colleges. The court deemed the order unconstitutional, emphasising that government appointments must follow transparent, merit-based recruitment processes as per constitutional norms. 

As the protests intensify and the future of regularisation remains uncertain, educators have warned that if the government does not address their demands promptly, the protests may escalate further in the coming days.