Karnataka government ‘accepts’ demands of guest lecturers, hikes salaries by Rs 5,000

The higher education department has also decided to create a centralised database of documents, thus eliminating the need to invite applications for guest lecturer posts every year and undertake document verification during the selection process.

The guest lecturers had demanded the granting of service weightage under the rules of appointment of assistant professors.

However, in view of the decisions of the Supreme Court and the Karnataka Administrative Tribunal (KAT), the government has decided to grant a service weightage of 1 per cent for every year subject to a maximum of 5 per cent to those who have rendered a minimum of five years of service.

Further, the state government has agreed to pay a consolidated sum of Rs 50,000 for every year served by a guest lecturer with more than 10 years of experience.

To avail health insurance of Rs 5 lakh per annum, a guest lecturer will have to pay Rs 400 every month and an equal contribution will be made by the government.

Sudhakar told reporters, “The government along with the help of legal counsel and finance department has reviewed all the demands of the guest lecturers and has made efforts to address most of them. The implementation of all these benefits will be effective from January 2024. I humbly request the lecturers to report to duties from January 1 and resume teaching in the interest of students. If they do not comply, the government will be forced to take stringent action against the lecturers.”