Unpaid dues: Retired college employees protest during alumni meet

Retired employees of Doaba College, Jalandhar, staged a protest during a meeting of the college's alumni association on Saturday. They were demanding the release of their long-overdue retirement benefits, particularly leave encashment.

They urged the college administration to comply with regulations of Guru Nanak Dev University (GNDU) and the state government, to ensure immediate disbursement of their benefits.

The protest underscored growing discontent among retired employees, who have been compelled to seek legal recourse for the past decade to secure their rightful benefits, especially leave encashment. They said the prolonged delay in addressing these demands had caused distress to retired and current employees.

During the meeting, the alumni expressed solidarity with their former teachers, acknowledging the critical role they played in shaping their personal and professional lives. They appealed to the college management to resolve the grievances of the retired staff in a prompt manner and ensure timely disbursement of their benefits.

Sukhdev Singh, principal of Government Senior Secondary School, Jalandhar, and a former student of the college, also addressed the gathering. He urged the alumni to unite in the struggle and ensure that the retired teachers receive their rightful dues.

A former student said: "These teachers dedicated over 30-35 years of their lives to educate students and elevating the institution to a prestigious level. It is shameful and heartbreaking to see them fighting for their rights."

A retired teacher said: "We have to go from pillar to post to get our dues in the twilight of our lives. The money belongs to us. But the denial of dues is a cause of distress among many retired teachers."

Employees said retired employees of Doaba College and Kanya Mahavidyalaya had also not been paid their benefits for the past decade.

District BJP president Sushil Sharma, an alumnus of Doaba College, also extended support to the retired teachers. He urged the college management to release the dues without further delay.

"They have shaped our future and it is our moral duty to stand with them in their fight for justice," he said.

The president of the Doaba College Retired Teachers’ Association, Prof Chander Sheikher Sharma, expressed gratitude to the alumni for their unwavering support.