Guest lectures strike work at Allahabad University over pending salaries

Allahabad University officials on Wednesday said salaries of guest faculty which have been pending for up to five months will be cleared in a week.

Scores of guest lectures of the varsity and its allied colleges from faculties of arts, science and commerce had gone on a one-day strike on Tuesday to protest the delay in payment of salaries.

Around 300 guest lectures, 200 of them at the main campus and others in affiliated colleges, have claimed they have "not been paid a single penny" since their appointment in August and September last year.

"It has become a matter of survival for many of us now who live here on rented accommodation and have to pay monthly rent. Some are married and some have medical issues to take care of and we have not been paid," Rama Sharan Mishra, a guest lecturer at CMP college, told PTI.

The aggrieved teachers on Tuesday met senior officials of the Allahabad University and handed over a memorandum to them, seeking payment of their salaries.

"The guest lecturers have been assured that their salary for two or three months would be cleared in a week by whatever internal arrangement we have to do," Finance Officer, Allahabad University, Sunil Kant Mishra told PTI.

"Earlier such payments were made through the 'salary head' but last year the UGC asked us to make these payments under the 'recurring head' but it couldn't be done due to budget constrains. The university has written multiple letters to the UGC but their response is awaited," Mishra added.

He also said the salaries of some teachers were paid on Wednesday after the protest.

A guest lecturer is paid Rs 1,500 per lecture and a maximum of Rs 50,000 per month along with other dues like examination duty fees, if applicable, according to official sources.

A centrally-funded institution, the Allahabad University is the fourth-oldest university of the country with thousands of students enrolled in courses related to arts, science, commerce and law.