Protest against delay in varsity’s staff absorption, promotions

Protest against delay in varsity’s staff absorption, promotions

The Hindu Bureau

TIRUCHI 10.11.2024

A group of faculty members participated in a protest at University College of Engineering-Bharathidasan Institute of Technology (UCE-BIT), Anna University, Tiruchi campus on Saturday, to highlight unresolved issues of staff absorption and implementation of Career Advancement Scheme (CAS) benefits.

The protest, called by Tamil Nadu Anna University Teachers’ Association (TNAUTA), began on Saturday evening, and was scheduled to continue late into the night.

It followed a similar action held in October by the faculty members.

Leading the demonstration, TNAUTA president R. Prabakaran and secretary R. Udhayakumar called for immediate action to secure the absorption of 20 faculty members who continue to serve without basic benefits despite a directive from the High Court of Madras and a 2015 Government Order to that effect.

‘Unresponsive’

“The university has remained unresponsive, disregarding both court orders and official recommendations. Attempts to gain clarification from the Registrar have been met with silence, amplifying faculty frustration over the lack of transparency,” an official TNAUTA statement said.

The body also criticised the delay over CAS benefits for faculty members in constituent colleges.

“While Anna University’s main campuses implement promotions promptly, faculty in constituent colleges face significant delays. Despite applications for CAS in 2017, 2018, and 2023, many faculty members are still left without updates on their promotions,” the body said.

It added that although a Syndicate meeting on July 29, 2024 approved some promotions, it only included Assistant Professors advancing to limited grades, leaving numerous cases unaddressed.

TNAUTA asserted that faculty members from constituent colleges deserve fair treatment, equal to that of their counterparts on main campuses.