Karnatak University guest lecturers end 24-day strike

Dharwad: The Karnatak University Guest Lecturers’ Association has called off its 24-day strike on Saturday following agreement with the Karnatak University (KU) over their demands.
MLC S V Sankanur had meetings with the association leaders, the vice-chancellor and syndicate members, and succeded in preparing a conciliatory formula to end the impasse. Following this, the university syndicate, which met on Friday, reconsidered the demands of the guest faculty and came out with a resolution to meet their demands.
The syndicate has categorised the assistant lecturers as professional and non-professional while others will be guest lecturers. The monthly remuneration of professional assistant lecturers working with UGC-prescribed qualification has been enhanced from Rs 30,000 to Rs 40,000 and that of professional assisstant lecturers from Rs 26,000 to Rs 35,000. Similarly, the honorarium of non-professionals with UGC qualification has been hiked from Rs 28,000 to Rs 40,000 and that of non-UGC qualifications from Rs 24,000 to Rs 35,000.
The UGC guest lecturers’ honorarium will be enhanced from Rs 18,000 to Rs 26,000 and that of non-UGC category will be hiked from Rs 16,000 to Rs 22,000.
The teaching assistants will have full work load of 20 hours per week and guest faculties will have 10 hours.
On the demand to provide job security to teaching assistants who have put in three years of service, the university will have to fix the roster before going ahead with the regularisation of services of such teachers, the resolution said.
KU has also agreed to provide paid maternity leave and sick leave to the guest lecturers as per government rules.
Former chief minister Jagadish Shettar, who visited the striking teachers on Saturday evening, explained to them the contents of the syndicate’s resolution and appealed to them to end the strike and get back to work in the interest of students and academic activities.
The syndicate’s resolution has made it clear that the payment of enhanced remuneration will be subject to the state government releasing requiring additional funds.
Associaition president Shivasomanna Nittur and leader Venkanagouda Patil thanked all those who have supported the strike, and said the teachers will go back to their respective institutions and resume work. “To make up for the lost working hours, we will work on all Sundays and other holidays too,” they said.