JNTUH circular keeps private college teachers on the edge

Hyderabad: A new circular issued by Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University, Hyderabad (JNTUH) giving jitters to the teaching and non-teaching staff irregularly terminated by the private colleges during the Covid-19 lockdown period.

The circular in question issued on October 31 asked the college managements' and principals of its affiliated colleges to update the data of the staff working there. Accordingly, the data has to be uploaded on the JNTUH Academic Audit Cell portal by 5 pm on November 9.

This is seen as the university attempting under pressure to validate the non-payment and terminations in contravention to the State government directions during the lockdown period.

According to Telangana School's Technical College's Employees Association (TSTCEA), president A Santhosh Kumar, the latest circular contradicts the university's earlier circular not to remove the staff.

But, "now it has come up with another circular to facilitate covering up the illegal termination of the staff and non-payment of salaries of the staff," he added.

"We have been giving numerous representation on illegal and irregular terminations and non-payment of salaries to several authorities. They include Departments of State Technical Education department, State Higher Education, Telangana State Council of Higher Education, Minister of Education, Telangana Chief Minister, University Grants Commission, All India Council of Technical Education, Prime Minister's Office, Union HRD Ministry etc but all the offices and regulatory authorities have proved ineffective. The college managements are mounting pressure on the JNTUH to issue circulars of their choice," he alleged.

Echoing the similar view, Telangana Technical Institutions Employees Association (TTIEA) president Balakrishna Reddy said that the TTIEA had gone to court on the issue of non-payment of salaries and the case is pending before the court.

He said the JNTUH issued the latest circular on the excuse that the details of the staff of its affiliated colleges have not updated since February 2020.

Now they wanted to update of fresh data citing that it wanted to go for physical inspection of the colleges in December this year.

Because earlier the University had earlier given only temporary affiliation and now it wanted to give final affiliation after carrying out a physical inspection.

But, the catch is, new data automatically allows the colleges to get clean chit to the irregular terminations. The unpaid faculty will have no other chance but to go to court. Or, accept whatever the colleges say on pending dues for the sake of reappointments for their livelihoods.

It may be mentioned here that the JNTUH in its circular on October 27 asked the colleges to give an undertaking in the form of an affidavit. To this effect that they would pay salaries regularly and would not indulge in the retrenchment and termination of staff during the current year on account of lockdown (duet o Covid-19).

Thus, the latest circular defeats its earlier stipulation alleges the staff unions of the colleges. Besides, it also amounts to giving a clean chit to the erring colleges against the Telangana government of March 22 warning. In which the government wanted to penalise them for laying off employees during the Covid-19. The AICTE had also asked the colleges not to terminate employees and not to deprive them of salaries.