TIFR faces fund crunch, to pay 50% of net February salary to staff

In a letter that they sent to the staff on Wednesday, they have assured that the rest of the salary will be paid when sufficient funds are available

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TIFR campus in Mumbai

The Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR) will pay only half of the net salary to its staff for February due to fund crunch. In a letter that they sent to the staff on Wednesday, they have assured that the rest of the salary will be paid when sufficient funds are available.

“Due to insufficient funds, all staff members and students/post-doctoral fellows of TIFR, its centres and field stations will be paid 50 per cent of the net salary for the month of February immediately,” TIFR registrar Wing Commander (retd) George Antony said in a letter to the staff.

Antony declined to comment when contacted by PTI.

A former staffer said the pay cut decision will impact the around 3,000 employees, students and post-doctoral fellows
of TIFR in Mumbai and other centres.

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Noted historian Ramachandra Guha said TIFR is in a perilous state. “The perilous financial state of one of Indias finest scientific research institutes,” he tweeted.

Another twitter user said the government should explain why this (salary cut) has happened. “If this is the condition of TIFR, then what will be the future of education in our country?” he said.

A tweet appeared to question the motive for shortage of funds to TIFR. “There goes another piece of prime real estate. I suspect thats the real game going on – just like the cantonments. TIFR will be asked to move out. Magically, funds will reappear. In a more remote location.” it said.

TIFR is a national centre of the Government of India under the umbrella of the Department of Atomic Energy, as well as a deemed university awarding degrees for master’s and doctoral programmes.

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The institute was founded in 1945 with support from the Sir Dorabji Tata Trust under the vision of Dr Homi Bhabha.

TIFR carries out basic research in physics, chemistry, biology, mathematics, computer science and science education.

The main campus is located in Mumbai, with centres at Pune, Bengaluru and Hyderabad.