Paid salaries by Mumbai University, appointment of over 30 teachers yet to get govt nod

The Mumbai University, for more than six years, has borne the cost of salaries of a little over 30 teachers, whose appointments have not yet received government approval.

These government-aided teaching posts (professor, associate professor, assistant professor) were advertised in 2008 and 2012. The service books of these teachers still require the signature stamp of the government nominee who was present during the interviews, only after which they can be recognised as government employees and can avail facilities meant for them.

According to University of Mumbai Academic Staff Association (UMASA), the government had initially hired 54 teachers, of which some posts were regularised. The funds going towards paying these teachers are meant to be used for infrastructure, research and other facilities.

“We have been told the government nominee did not sign on some papers by the selection committee,” said Dr Balaji Kendre, general secretary, UMASA.

Kendre added, “These teachers do not avail benefits of Defined Contributory Pension Scheme (DCPS) started by the central government and adopted by all states… Since the state did not open DCPS accounts for teachers recruited after 2008, the university, last week, returned money deposited towards pension by teachers saying the deposits cannot be back-dated.”

The teachers who have been promoted have not even received their offer letters. “These teachers cannot use their designation of promotion and cannot take PhD students under them. But they are eligible to receive back-dated salary. This reduces seats for PhD students in the department,” a teacher said.

The teachers have written to the director and joint director of higher education, and even education minister and chief minister, but have not received a response. Last month, UMASA members met state secretary for higher education Saurabh Vijay who said he will look into the matter.

The proposal for amendments is now with the state secretariat, Kendre told The Indian Express. “Up until now, no one has taken this issue seriously despite our efforts… It is humiliating for us, and all the more discouraging. Even as our posts are not approved by government, names of some teachers have been added to ‘Sevarth’ portal, which has details of government-aided posts in Mumbai University,” said a teacher.