40 faculty of private engineering college claim they were forced to quit

COIMBATORE: A Number of employees of a private engineering college in Chennai affiliated to Anna University, including around 40 teachers, have lodged a complaint with the university, alleging that they were forced to submit ‘resignation letters’ after they asked the management for salary dues of four months.
“On the afternoon of May 29, teaching and non-teaching staff requested the principal and college management to release salary dues of four months. On May 31, at the principal’s behest, heads of the some of the departments called them, threatened them, and forced them to submit resignation letters,” they said in their complaint to to Anna University Vice-Chancellor M K Surappa.

“The principal did not give us even a week’s prior notice before this forced termination. As we get salaries monthly, we need a few months to search and find a new job. We must be given at least a month’s salary in lieu of a notice to look after our families,” they added.The faculty members also alleged that even after terminating them, the principal used ‘our Aadhaar numbers, our certificates and our personal details’ for inspections of Anna University and for NAAC approval.

“The college, which offers six undergraduate and seven postgraduate courses, has used our Aadhaar numbers for getting AICTE approval and Anna University affiliation. As it has not removed our Aadhaar details from the database of AICTE and Anna University, we are facing difficulties in getting appointments in other colleges. The AICTE website would show the applicants as working in another college,” said one of the terminated teachers.

“If the college had relieved us earlier, we could have found a job in some other college,” said another faculty member. After they complained to the Anna University, the college paid the dues of some faculty members, they said.

Asked about it, a senior Anna University official said, “We have received the complaint and written to the college seeking an explanation. We are waiting for the reply. After getting the reply from the college, the university will take a decision.”The principal of the college could not be reached for comments.

No notice before forced termination

“The principal did not give us even a week’s prior notice before this forced termination. As we get salaries monthly, we need a few months to search and find a new job. We must be given at least a month’s salary in lieu of a notice to look after our families,” they added. The faculty members also alleged that even after terminating them, the principal used ‘our Aadhaar numbers, our certificates and our personal details’ for inspections