Guest lecturers of colleges on 'Dharna' higher education in WB at stake

West Bengal Guest Lecturers Association (W.B.G.L.A) staged a " Dharna" against West Bengal government demanding Permanent Post and Permanent payroll system for all the guest lecturers of Bengal.

In entire West Bengal, there are more than ten thousand guest lecturers working in different colleges where the number of Professors are near about six thousand and number Associate Professors are about 5,229 only.

"The guest lecturers are handling the same responsibilities what all the Professors and Assistant Professors are doing like taking regular classes, preparing question papers, solving papers, arranging seminars etc. Besides, in some colleges, guest lecturers are also seen to be taking upon the responsibility of being the director of a certain department," said a spokesperson of Association.

"Due to lack of Professors, a guest lecturer has to manage the responsibilities of Teacher- in-charge.But after all, the government has not yet been able to implement a monthly salary system for the guest lecturers.Where a Professor is getting about 14,000/- as monthly salary and an Associate Professor is getting around 12,000- 18,000/- as monthly salary, a guest lecturer is getting only about 3000-4000/- as payment on monthly basis. Even in some colleges, guest lecturers are paid with Rs.100 - 150/- on per class basis at the end of a month," he added.

"Even, as for Guest Lecturers, the system of 'No Work No Pay' has already been implemented, they remain unpaid during winter & summer vacation, puja vacation. Currently, the situation is that the financial condition of a daily waged labourers entitled in West Bengal government's 100 days of work initiativekaj' is better than a guest lecturer at a college in West Bengal, whereas a guest lecturer holds much better qualifications like Net, Set, Ph. D etc.," he added further.

In this situation, West Bengal Guest Lecturers' Association have had started their protest 'Dharna' regarding all these sufferings of guest lecturers working in colleges of West Bengal. They also demand permanent post and permanent salary system for all the guest lecturers.

Gopal Chandra Ghosh, The General Secretary of W.B.G.L.A said, "after repeatedly informing about the terrible condition of guest lecturers to the government and failing to get any response from the government's side we have had started protest from 28th December 2016 at the College Square ground. We had themeetingwith Sri Partha Chattopadhyay, the Education Minister of West Bengal government, todiscussall the sufferings and shortcomings of the guest lecturers, but it was in vain as they were stopped and even lathi-charged by the Police.It has already been 60 days passed but they haven't got any response from the government's end."

"Now were withdrawing their 'Dharna' at College Square ground as many of the guest lecturers have been hospitalised, but their protest will go on unless the state government takes any initiative or any further action for their welfare." he added.

Source:Soutrik Das, City Journalist - Kolkata, CollegeDekho