Over 100 temporary professors who were removed from service stage protest in Chennai

Over 100 temporary professors protest in Chennai demanding reinstatement after being removed by Anna University amid ongoing job vacancies.

Over 100 temporary professors who were removed from service across the State, protested in the city on Sunday demanding that they be reinstated in their jobs.

The protest was organised by Anna University Constituent Colleges and Regional Campuses Temporary Assistant Professors Association. “Over 320 temporary assistant professors who worked in 13 constituent colleges and three regional campuses were removed from their jobs by the Anna University administration in January this year,” said E. Venkatraman, organiser of the association.

The association noted that there are over 1,200 vacancies in which only about 660 posts have been filled permanently. “We are given extension orders to continue service every six months. This time, they told us that there were no vacancies and terminated us,” he charged.

Noting that All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) does not recognise a teaching fellow post, he said that this allowed the government to not pay them the salary equivalent to that of an assistant professor. “We carry out the job requirements of an assistant professor, yet we are paid only ₹20,000 to ₹30,000 while an assistant professor earns ₹57,000. Despite a court order and ongoing case, the government has not paid us the equivalent,” he noted.

With no experience certificate or no objection certificate from the university, the teachers now are not eligible to apply for other jobs. “This has caused us hardship in our livelihoods,” he rued. The association members said they would continue their protest until the government reinstated them.