GUWAHATI: The New Engineering and Polytechnic Faculty Association of Assam (NEPFAA) staged a day-long protest on Tuesday, February 4 in Guwahati's Kahilipara, demanding the regularization of part-time faculty members and the release of their pending salaries. The protest was held in response to the Assam government’s failure to implement a decision taken by the State Cabinet to upgrade part-time lecturers recruited between 2017 and 2018 to APSC-3F status.
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Despite the Cabinet’s decision, the bureaucratic delays have left over 451 lecturers in limbo, forcing them to work under a Fixed Pay Per Hour system instead of receiving regular scale-based salaries as per APSC-31 norms. Adding to their frustration, instead of upgrading their positions, the government has reportedly terminated 20 faculty members without any alternative employment.
For nearly seven years, these lecturers have been working with dedication despite the challenges faced by polytechnic institutions in the state. However, with no job security and no salary for the past five months, many are now struggling to support their families.
Talking to GPlus, a faculty member said, "We have been serving these institutions for years, and now, instead of recognizing our efforts, we are being shown the door. How are we supposed to run our families without salaries?"
Another protester added, "We were promised regularization, but nothing has been implemented. We are not even being paid on time. If our pending salaries are not cleared within this financial year, it will create a major crisis for many of us."
The Directorate of Technical Education (DTE), Assam, has issued a notification inviting applications for permanent faculty recruitment. However, many of the currently serving part-time lecturers have now exceeded the age limit for applying, making them ineligible for regularization under the new recruitment process.
A protester summed up the situation, saying, "We are not just fighting for salaries; we are fighting for our futures. If the government does not take action soon, many experienced faculty members will be left with no livelihood."
NEPFAA has vowed to continue its agitation until the government takes concrete steps to address their demands and ensure job security for Assam’s polytechnic faculty members.