Guest lecturers working on consolidated pay at Madurai Kamaraj University College have been staging a continuous protest since July 23, 2026, pressing for several demands regarding their pay and college administration.
The protesting teachers demanded the immediate disbursement of guest lecturer salaries and 18 months of pending arrears under Government Order No. 88, dated February 26, 2021. They also demanded payment of pending arrears for enhanced hourly wages from October 9, 2020 to December 1, 2025, as well as arrears for government-announced salary hikes from March 1, 2026.
Palanivel, president of the Madurai Kamaraj University College Guest Lecturers’ Association, said they were demanding that hourly wages be doubled from ₹15,000 to ₹30,000, with rates of ₹600 an hour for undergraduate classes and ₹800 an hour for postgraduate courses, and that the payments be made without delay.
He also demanded that hourly-wage teachers who meet University Grants Commission norms be converted into consolidated-pay guest lecturers, and that the three-day leave deduction imposed on guest lecturers during May be removed. The teachers also sought immediate issuance of official work appointment orders.
Beyond salary concerns, the teachers raised issues about the administration of the college, pointing out that student admissions had dropped significantly for the 2026 academic year due to increased tuition fees and administrative mismanagement.
They blamed the current temporary principal for the closure of afternoon classes in several departments of the two-shift college and demanded the removal of the temporary principal and appointment of a permanent principal.
They also demanded that assistant professor positions, which have remained vacant for the past 20 years, be filled immediately.
The protest also highlighted allegations regarding employee welfare and student facilities. The management had allegedly failed to remit funds to the Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF) account for three years despite beneficiaries paying their full amounts. The teachers sought immediate action by the EPF administration.
“We are demanding essential infrastructure improvements for students, including proper roads, clean drinking water, hygienic restrooms, functional computers and well-equipped laboratories,” Mr. Palanivel said.
Published - August 10, 2026 06:58 pm IST