Hyderabad: Stating that they have been denied their full salaries since May 1 last year, the teaching and non-teaching staff members of Muffakham Jah College of Engineering and Teaching (MJCET) here have written to various state government authorities, including Telangana chief minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao (KCR), to intervene and direct the college administration to release their pending dues.
The Muffakham Jah College staff members in their letter that they have not been paid their 100% of full salaries since May 1 2020, which compounds to about five months loss in salaries. They claimed that this was done despite instructions from the All India Council of Technical Education (AICTE) and the Telangana government to not deduct salaries.
Aside from that issues, the Muffakham Jah College employees in their letter to the authorities also claimed that they have not received any increments since 2019. The letter, dated June 8, was sent to KCR, Vice-chancellor and (separately) the Director, Minorities Cell, of Osmania University and to Prof. Papi Reddy, Chairman, Telangana State Council of Higher Education.
The teaching and non-teaching staff members from Muffakham Jah stated that almost all seats from various streams in the college are filled every year and that the total scholarships reimbursements are also received from the state/central government from time to time.
“Despite regular notices from Registrar, Osmania University, to pay the arrears from April 2020, we have not been paid,” the letter from the staff members said, and further alleged that there are also other irregularities taking place in the educational institution like violation of pay scales, service rules, conduct rules, vacations, etc.
“More than 90% of the staff is on adhoc basis and are given consolidated pay. But our appointments are shown as regular in AICTE website. Even though the probation period is of 2 years, staff members are not regularized even alter 10 years of service which is against the service rules of AICTE and Sultan Ul-Uloom Education Society,” the said the Muffakham Jah College staff members.
Their letter also stated that a new principal at the Muffakham Jah College has not been appointed after the resignation of Prof N. Seetharamaiah in August 2019. “All the administration is run by Advisor Cum Director Dr.Basheer Ahmed, a post not recognized by AICTE Osmania University and NAAC,” it added. The staff members alleged that their salaries were not increased even after the tuition fee was hiked from Rs. 85,000 to Rs. 1 lakh for 2019-20.
The Muffakham Jah College employees said that they were threatened with terminations when they asked the institution management for their full salaries. “Due to these atrocities, we are not even able to meet our basic expenses. Since the last one year basic expenses have sky-rocketed along with medical expenses, as many of our staff members suffered with COVID-19 and lost their dependent family members as they could not bear expenses,” the letter added.
The letter from the non-teaching and teaching staff members added that they do not have sufficient money left to manage their household expenses, which has caused severe financial distress and mental trauma to them and their families. It added that college employees have also been forced to take loans due to the circumstances. The Muffakham Jah College, situated at Banjara Hills, is run by the Sultan Ul-uloom Educational Society.