UP: Rs 3.18Cr Invigilation Duty Dues Not Paid For 3 Years, say DDU Gorakhpur-Linked College Teachers

Lucknow: Over 2,000 principals and teachers of self-financed colleges affiliated to Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gorakhpur University hit the streets with a begging bowl near the district collectorate in protest. They were demanding clearance of their pending dues worth Rs 3.18 crore, which have not been released for the past three years.

As per reports, several protesting teachers were also seen with begging bowls inside the university premises, saying they needed money to fill the varsity’s coffers so that their services could be continued.

College lecturers of hundreds of colleges, who assessed answer sheets, worked as chief invigilators and squad members during examinations, said they had not received any remuneration in the past three years. Besides, travel and dearness allowance was also not paid for three years. 

The lecturers alleged that despite repeated requests, officials of the DDU University have not cleared the dues. “We have given our bank account numbers for online transfer. But, even after three years, we have not got the money,” Ajay Kumar Sharma, president of the Self-Financed College Teachers Association told NewsClick.  

The dues vary from Rs 15,000-20,000 each. “Many of us have been working as invigilators for the past 10-15 years. It has become a practice for officials to forget us after exams. We have to beg them for the money,” said Pal, adding that they had to speed up the assessment work so that the state board could declare the results on time. But, when it came to paying remunerations, the university administration looked the other way, he added.

The protesting teachers decided that whatever money they collected from begging, would be sent as a money order to the Raj Bhavan. "A total of Rs 2,144 has been collected by begging in university and city areas. We have sent the money order to Raj Bhavan," said Sharma.

KM Pal, principal of self-financed colleges affiliated to DDU Gorakhpur University, told NewsClick, "Due to non-payment of dues at the university level, the credibility of self-financed colleges is falling and teachers and principals have been forced to beg on roads that too in front of their students. It is a very sad and shameful situation for us."

The lecturers said, “If the university officials continue to do this (not pay), we will be forced to skip examination-related work in future.”

There are around 350 self-financed colleges affiliated to DDU Gorakhpur University, with over 2,000 lecturers/principals associated with and performing duties for more than 10-15 years. 

The protesting teachers claimed that principals of many colleges gave them moral support but were not joining the protest fearing that the DDU administration would remove their college from the examination centre. 

"Before the current vice-chancellor, we have always been paid on time, but for the past three years, work has been taken from us and we are not paid on time. Usually, answer copies are checked only in the summer months (May-June). Whereas earlier at least tea was provided to us, now even water is not made available. Where are the funds going?" asked another protesting teacher. 

Meanwhile, Bharatiya Janata Party MLC Devendra Pratap Singh, has come out in support of the protesting teachers and assured them that he would "look into the matter".