There have been a lot of issues raised regarding the worsening condition of professors and associate professors in government colleges in our country.
But after studying for years and doing well in academics, then becoming a lecturer, slowly moving your way up to being an associate professor, one should deserve a decent pay and some respect too.
Retweeting a post from an updates page, Shashi Tharoor, the well known MP from Thiruvananthapuram, called out the Kerala Government for paying associate processors lower than sweepers! Yes, you read that right.
Tharoor’s Tweet And It’s Translation
This Twitter thread is written in Malayalam, so here’s a translation of exactly what it said, thanks to my friend who helped me with it. (Just clarifying that I don’t know the language, lest one of you starts a conversation with me in Malayalam in the comments.)
കേരളത്തിലെ ഒരു കോളേജ് പ്രൊഫസർ അവരുടെ വിദ്യാഭ്യാസ യോഗ്യതക്കനുസരിച്ച് ലഭിക്കുന്ന സാമ്പത്തിക മൂല്യത്തെക്കുറിച്ചുള്ള ഒരു കണക്കെനിക്കയച്ചു തന്നിരിക്കുന്നു. ലാസ്റ്റ് ഗ്രേഡ് ജീവനക്കാർക്ക് നല്ല വേതനം ലഭിക്കുന്നത് നമ്മൾ അഭിനന്ദിക്കുന്നു; 1/3 pic.twitter.com/Pryrz4NJio
— MPThiruvananthapuram (@MPTrivandrum) January 4, 2021
A college professor from Kerala sent me a small account of the monetary benefits (salary) they receive in accordance with their level of education. I congratulate the ‘last grade’ workers on receiving a good amount as wages.
കഠിനാദ്ധ്വാനം ചെയ്ത് പഠനം പൂർത്തിയാക്കി ബിരുദവും ബിരുദാനന്തര ബിരുദവും എടുത്തിട്ടുള്ള ഒരു അസി. പ്രൊഫസർക്ക് ലഭിക്കുന്നത് കുറഞ്ഞ ശമ്പളമാണ്. ഇതിന് കാരണം കേരളത്തിലെ ഇടത് സർക്കാർ അധ്യാപകർക്ക് യു ജി സി പ്രകാരമുള്ള വേതനം കൊടുക്കാൻ താല്പര്യപ്പെടുന്നില്ല എന്നത് തികച്ചും വേദനാജനകമാണ്. 2/3
— MPThiruvananthapuram (@MPTrivandrum) January 4, 2021
After working really hard on completing their graduation and post-graduation, an assistant professor receives a small amount as their salary.
The Left Government of Kerala is solely responsible for this (Tharoor is in Congress) since they are not interested in providing the teachers with the salary UGC norms have suggested. This is very disheartening.
കേന്ദ്ര നിർദ്ദേശ പ്രകാരം യു ജി സി നിരക്കുള്ള വേതനം കൊടുക്കാത്ത ഇന്ത്യയിലെ ഒരേയൊരു സംസ്ഥാനം കേരളമാണ് എന്നത് തികച്ചും ആശ്ചര്യമുളവാക്കുന്നു. 3/3@ShashiTharoor #MPThiruvananthapuram
— MPThiruvananthapuram (@MPTrivandrum) January 4, 2021
It is very surprising to see that Kerala is the only state in India that is not following the instructions by the Center, by not providing the teachers with the UGC recommended salaries.
Also Read: Here Are Some Of The Most Difficult College Entrance Exams In The World
Now, this comes from an updates page and Shashi Tharoor has retweeted it. But I asked my friends from Kerala if it was true, and I found out that the basic pay initially is indeed lower for Associate Professors.
It is even lower than that of a sweeper. From the image above, you can see the different pay grades and you’ll see that for an Associate Professor it’s INR 15600-39100. For a sweeper, it is INR 16500-35700. The basic pay scale for both is almost the same if we take an average. I hope you see the problem in that.
But like the tweet said, congrats to the workers at lower grades of employment getting a good salary. Although, without professors, there would be no colleges at all and I think they deserve a lot more than anyone else at any educational institution.
There are face to face meetings of teachers with politicians, not just in Kerala, but around the country. And most of the time, they voice out their issues with not getting enough pay.
Some of them are even taken off of their jobs, right when their families needed financial help the most. What does a teacher do in such a situation?
Many turn towards government jobs in hopes of stability and security. Although, stability and security without deserving pay just take away the entire purpose behind aiming for a government job and working so hard to get it.
Image Source: Google Images
Sources: MP Thiruvananthapuram Twitter Update Page
Connect With The Blogger: @som_beingme
This post is tagged under: ugc norms, ugc salary structure, Change In Exam Guidelines By UGC, kerala government teachers, kerala ugc professors, associate professor salary, basic pay scale ugc
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