Punjab guest faculty assistant professors protest against job losses
Guest faculty Assistant Professors across Punjab are protesting against the AAP government for rendering them jobless as new teachers take over as Assistant Professors in government colleges. The protest, held at SCD Government College and Government College for Girls (GCG) in Ludhiana, was attended by around 100 guest faculty Assistant Professors.
These professors have been working in Punjab’s government colleges since 2002, dedicating 22 years to teaching and other college duties. They emphasised their involvement in various activities, including organising NCC and NSS camps, cultural events, sports, election duties, and university examinations. Falwinder Verma, one of the protesting professors, said, “We were suddenly replaced by permanent teachers, despite working on these posts for two decades.”
Other protesting professors, such as Shivani Arora from GCG and Parminder Kaur from SCD Government College, suggested that the government should have accommodated the newly appointed staff in colleges with vacancies instead of replacing them. The protesters, now too old to apply for government jobs, demand dignified treatment and fair compensation for their years of service.
Their demands include salary rules with basic pay, 38% DA, 10% HRA, mobile allowance of Rs 500, and medical allowance of Rs 1,000. If the government fails to address their concerns, the protest will intensify. Notably, approximately 850 Guest faculty Assistant Professors are employed in Punjab’s government colleges.
