*
The Times of India
28.02.2012
*
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/madurai/American-College-staff-seek-unpaid-salaries/articleshow/12078365.cms
*
American College staff seek unpaid salaries
The lecturers, about 46 of them and about 38 non-teaching staff submitted a petition to the Madurai collector U Sagayam to intervene and ensure that they get their pay. "We were duly recruited by the principal and secretary of the college. However, due to maladministration of late CSI Madurai diocese Bishop Rev Christoper Asir, we were forced out of the classrooms since December 2010. Still, we continued to conduct classes under the shades of trees and got the students to appear for exams with the support of Madurai Kamaraj University," the aggrieved faculty members said in their petition.
They further said, "When the classes began for the current semester in November 2011, we attempted to get into the classrooms as instructed by the regional joint director of collegiate education. But Christopher Asir's son-in-law Davamani Christopher, who claims himself, to be the principal now, prevented us from entering the classes. Despite that we continue to teach students, but are not being paid for the past 14 months."
A lecturer, who is working for the past six years said, "The present principal had recruited lecturers in our place. While we were fully qualified and duly appointed, the appointment of these poorly qualified lecturers, is not valid. They are being paid the money meant for us. This is our college. But they want to force us to leave the institution just because we opposed Christopher Asir."
Founded in 1881 by American Christian missionaries, American College, one of the oldest colleges in South India, is now embattled by the disputes between the members of management on governing the institution.
The directorate of collegiate education stopped the payment of salaries to the staffs since December, 2010 due to internecine battle. Both the groups of administrative authorities filed petitions in the high court seeking disbursal of salaries. The high court, too, directed the state government to release teaching grant towards the salaries directly to bank accounts of the teaching and non-teaching staff.
However, the regional directorate of collegiate education approved granting of the salaries in this manner only to faculties of aided stream and not for self-financing management streams. "We want the status quo prior to December 2010 to be maintained," said one of the lecturers.
*
It is a pity that the Management teaching and non-teaching staff have not been paid their salary for 14 months now. Their loyalty to the College is immeasurable and their sacrifice defies description. They have undergone a lot of difficulties and problems. And, with no solution to their plight in sight, they find themselves in a tragic situation.
ReplyDeleteInstead of wringing our hands and watching helplessly the sickening spectacle of an illegitimate and utterly unfit person occupying the Principal's chair and giving orders, it is time that some direct action was thought of to bring pressure upon the Govt to solve this problem.
Obviously, the Management staff cannot be allowed to languish like this far too long.
The Times of India deserves to be appreciated for its fair, objective and comprehensive reporting of this problem.
Several years ago in the field of Collegiate education there was a cadre of persosn employed as Tutors and Demonatrrators and almost all private College managements used those persons as persons they can 'hire and fire' at their free will. Thanks to MUTA the cadre was abloshed over night and the tutors and demonstratore were absorbed into the main stream. Several of them have in due course have served as Lecturers, Heads of Departments and Principals and have retired. The solution for the present problem according to me is abolish the self financing courses in aided colleges in spite of the maney it generates. Colleges are not for making money for the management of provate colleges and as it was done earlier the lecturers in the self financing stream should be pulled into the regular (aided courses) stream. What about the saary for those who have served for 14 months or more and have received no payment? Some body has appointed them and they have taken work out of them. If they can prove these any court will snaction their salary but unfortunately in our country justice takes a long time. justice will be done. VS
ReplyDelete