When college staff double up as house helps and waiters

Mumbai: Over 150 members of faculty and non-teaching staff of around 78 colleges in Maharashtra depend on a side hustle, which has no connect with their skill-sets. They have been compelled to take up the second jobs for over a decade, since the state government is yet to release funds to the tune of approximately ₹138 crore as grants, despite a 2015 Bombay high court (HC) ruling.

Teachers have petitioned before HC since 2010 for the government to implement the pay commission. However, soon after the HC ruling, it declared that the treasury was low on funds, and the matter was put on the back-burner.

The poorly paid employees have been on an indefinite strike at Azad Maidan for the last 58 days.

Participating in the strike is an Ahmednagar based professor of Marathi, Dyaneshwar Khilaree, who waits tables at an eatery in his city to earn ₹8000. He has been a college professor for more than two decades. He slips into his eight-hour evening shift after working in the college for five hours, which gives him ₹5000 each month. “The extra money helps my family survive,” said Khilaree.

Krishna Nangare, a professor from Beed district, works as a farm labourer after college, where he makes ₹5000 each month. Unfortunately, the second job does not give him a steady income, as work is sporadic.

A member of a non-teaching staff of a Solapur based college, Rekha Dhotre, shared her story: “I need to work as a house help after college hours to earn more money as I cannot survive on the salary I get.” Dhotre makes around ₹3,000 from her day job and ₹8000 from working in people’s homes.

“Some MLAs brought up the issue at the budget session last month, but the government is yet to respond,” said Ramdas Naiknavare, a professor from Sangli district and member of the Maharashtra State Action Committee (MSAC) of the 78 colleges in the state, which includes 21 colleges affiliated to the University of Mumbai.

Naiknavare added, “Our college was recognised before November 24, 2001, ahead of the time government adopted the permanent no-grant policy for colleges. However, despite the court ruling in our favour, it has not given 100 per cent grant to these 78 colleges.”

“This injustice has been going on for the last 22 years. The permanent no-grant policy is not applicable to us. All the protesting faculty members have PhD degrees, in alignment with UGC norms, and are government-approved teachers. Yet, we are denied our right to a salary. Some of our colleagues are on the verge of retirement,” he said.

Despite HT’s repeated attempts, Professor Shailendra Deolankar, director of higher education, was unavailable for a comment.