Faculty in private engineering colleges in Coimbatore contend with stagnant salaries

The Hindu

3 days ago

Left with limited options, faculty in even leading private engineering colleges in Coimbatore region contend with salaries that have been stagnant for years, due to which the attrition rate is also limited, it is learnt.
The maximum salary offered for a faculty in Computer Science department does not exceed ₹60,000 a month.
Those in Mechanical and core branches receive monthly salary between ₹20,000 and ₹30,000. The scenario is more worrisome in colleges of average standing, a faculty member pointed out requesting anonymity.
The AICTE, according Anna University sources, specifies payment of faculty salary as per its norms, but the implementation remains a far cry, a functionary of a college management acknowledged.
The Anna University does determine compliance of the affiliated colleges to AICTE norms in terms of teacher-student ratio, but has no authority in enforcing salary payment, university sources said.
'Exploitation' of teaching staff in the private engineering colleges does not augur well for meeting quality parameters in higher education, M. Chidambaram, former Director of National Institute of Technology - Tiruchi, said.
Prof. Chidambaram, who had filed a Public Interest Litigation in Delhi High Court on the issue last year, said a substantial proportion of faculty members were exploited and were not paid even the basic minimum prescribed salary (AICTE Pay Scale), got no salary slips, had prolonged working hours, and faced forceful retention of the original documents.
Prof. Chidambaram had referred to a report of the V.V. Giri National Labour Institute on the condition of faculty in private engineering colleges in his PIL. It was unfortunate that the AICTE had refused to take desired measures.
The AICTE had formulated the All India Council for Technical Education Pay Scales, Service Conditions and Minimum Qualifications for Appointment of Teachers and Other Academic Staff-(Degree) Regulation, 2019, for granting 7th Pay Scale to the faculty members in the technical institutions along with other benefits, i.e., increment, promotion, health insurance, pension, leave, training and incentives, Prof. Chidambaram said.
The onus was on the AICTE to strictly enforce the AICTE (Grant of Approvals for Technical Institutions) Regulations, 2020, he said.
The PIL, Prof. Chidambaram said, also sought directions for increasing investment upon technical educations to meet the requirement of the vast country like India, including measures such as increasing the number of engineering seats, appointment of sufficient faculty, infrastructure, research and development in the engineering colleges.