Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (HB)

Udupi, Feb 10: Members of the guest lecturers association of the city, Karnataka Rakshana Vedike and Ashrayadata auto union jointly held a massive protest near Clock Tower on Wednesday February 10 to have their demands fulfilled.

Ranjith Kumar Shetty, president of the guest lecturers association addressed the protestors saying, "Neither the State Government nor the colleges have taken any initiative towards securing their jobs. The government has to give importance to education first. Every teacher has the responsibility of building up the society."

He added that it is a question of survival. Educational institutions are playing with lecturers' lives. All teachers are ready to raise their voice against the college principal.

Nearly 14,500 guest lecturers are working in the state for a small sum.

"We are not scared of receiving a termination order. We are always ready to walk out from our work place," said Ranjith.

Rafique, a senior guest lecturer of G Shankar Government Women’s first grade college, Ajjarkad said the guest lecturers have sat for protest since a month, but unfortunately no politician has come forward to listen to their problems. The guest lecturers are now pushed into a deep trench. 25% of the teaching force is made up of permanent lecturers and the remaining 75% is made up of guest lecturers. This will affect the daily lessons.

Through the protest the lecturers are demanding their rights, as they have been rendering their service to society in a sincere manner. Even after years of service teachers earn just Rs 9,500 a month. The teacher always puts in his efforts for the students welfare.

Sujatha another lecturer said they are paid a small amount for their work. They are given nine months of official teaching and during this period they do not get paid on time.

She also added that none of the people’s representatives has come forward to listen to their grievances. If the guest lecturers do not get their salary on time, they will boycott the forthcoming elections.

Meanwhile, students from a few colleges boycotted their classes and joined the protest in support of the lecturers.

The association demanded to make the guest lecturer's post permanent, to appoint an expert committee to tackle legal issues, to increase the monthly wage to Rs 25,000, to issue salaries in the first week of the month, to change the working period to twelve months with salary. The government should also consider seniority of the lecturer along with qualification.

Anil Kumar Rai, president, Udupi taluk, Ashrayadata Ramesh Shetty, Santhosh Shetty, district president, Karnataka Rakshana Vedike, Raghavendra U, leader of the student unit, Pavan and others were present.