Salaries, Pensions of DU Colleges Delayed for Months

Teachers and pensioners of several colleges of Delhi University (DU) have not received salaries and pensions for several months despite repeated rejoinders.

Several teachers told Newsclick that salary is often delayed, making paying EMIs and other expenses difficult.

Rajeev Kunwar, a Hindi teacher at Dyal Singh College, is worried about how he will pay his son and nephew's tuition fees and other study expenses this week.

“I could manage it when salary was not disbursed due to technical issues. But it is no longer manageable. Even pensioners don’t have money for medicines and other expenses,” he said.

The situation changed when advance grants were stopped by University Grants Commission (UGC), Kunwar added.

“Several positions of assistant professors in colleges were filled. Many assistant professors were promoted to associate professors and professors. However, the university hasn’t factored in these changes while applying for grants from the UGC. There is a broader pattern of underfunding universities.”

Kishan Lal, who retired from Aurobindo College, and his wife are yet to receive pensions. “Many pensioners construct houses and pay rent too. Imagine the situation when the pension is delayed by a month. Besides, 30% is deducted from the amount as tax.”

Another teacher at Dyal Singh College requesting anonymity said his savings are exhausted as he did not receive three months’ salary. “I had to ask my friends for monetary help. I recently got permanent employment. I hope the situation doesn’t continue till next month. The salary delay has got us on our toes.”

Democratic Teachers Front secretary Abha Dev Habib, who teaches physics at Miranda House, too hasn’t received June’s salary and is worried about the Centre’s outlook on underfunding universities.

“Teachers are turning defaulters for no fault of theirs. EMIs have to be paid and banks are questioning our credibility. It reminds us of the times when other state universities saw similar distressing times and later collapsed because administrators did not pay heed to their funding and other critical requirements,” she added.

Academics for Action and Development Teachers Association (AADTA) spokesman Rajesh Jha said that ad hoc teachers of Shyam Lal College, Dyal Singh College, Rajdhani College, Miranda House, Ramanujam College, among others haven’t been paid for three consecutive months.

“We used to have a single head of expenses where the money for salaries and pensions was received. However, the university created two heads: one for permanent teachers and another for pensioners and ad hoc teachers. When the UGC was managing the affairs, we never had such issues. In the name of centralisation, we have this consistent crisis where teachers undergo humiliating the experience every month,” he added.

In a letter addressed to vice-chancellor (V-C) Yogesh Singh, AADTA wrote: “Amidst the celebration of Guru Purnima, teachers in some colleges of DU have been suffering from financial woes. We have repeatedly raised the delayed and irregular release of salaries and pensions in various colleges.”

The Association wrote that in some cases, salaries weren’t paid for five months. “Almost two years ago, we forewarned the DUTA president about such an impending crisis of salaries and pensions due to reorganising of accounting heads along with PFMS (Public Finance Management System).”

The Association added: “Retired teachers and employees have not received their pensions for more than a month in many colleges. In some cases, only partial payment of the monthly pension was released. Sir, these senior colleagues gave their sweat and blood in the glorious journey of our university and colleges, and many are solely dependent on pensions. Any delay is not in accordance with their dignity which they have earned.”