Rising Anger in TMBU Over Guest Faculty Honorariums and Pending Dues; Association Raises Voice Across University Departments and Constituent Colleges, Accuses Administration of Procrastination
Senior Correspondent: Anger mounted over the honorarium and pending payments of guest faculty members across constituent units, university departments, and the Guest Faculty Association of Tilka Manjhi Bhagalpur University (TMBU) on Thursday. Operating under the banner of the Guest Faculty Association, teachers organized a key meeting and staged a strong protest. The guest teachers leveled serious allegations against the university administration regarding long-delayed honorarium payments and administrative apathy. The educators stated that not receiving honorariums for months has pushed them to the brink of starvation and severe financial distress, while university management continues to offer nothing more than hollow assurances.
What Is the Complete Matter? Why Are Guest Teachers Outraged?
According to reports, the financial condition of guest faculty members teaching across colleges and departments operated by TMBU is steadily worsening:
Honorariums Pending for Months: The primary grievance of the guest teachers is that they have not received the honorarium owed to them for their teaching services over the past several months. In this season of festivals, the absence of salaries or honorariums has made it extremely difficult for them to sustain their families.
Excuses of Budgets and Paperwork: The teachers allege that whenever they approach the university's finance department or administrative officials regarding their pending dues, they are perpetually brushed off with excuses of budget shortages or pending files. Despite repeated assurances, the actual payment process has failed to materialize on the ground.
Strategy Formulated During Thursday's Meeting
Dozens of guest teachers hailing from various university departments and colleges attended Thursday's meeting:
Announcement of a Decisive Battle: During the meeting, speakers explicitly stated that if the university administration fails to clear their pending honorarium payments at the earliest, they will be compelled to boycott academic activities.
Preparation to Submit a Memorandum: Association representatives decided that they will submit a final memorandum to the Vice-Chancellor and Registrar regarding this matter, demanding the fixation of a strict deadline for disbursements.
Crucial Role of Guest Teachers in the Academic System
Academicians and experts note that regular teachers are in massive shortage across most TMBU colleges and departments:
Backbone of the System: Presently, the academic framework of the university and its constituent colleges rests heavily on the shoulders of these guest teachers. In the absence of regular appointments, these faculty members are dutifully operating undergraduate and postgraduate classes.
Allegations of Exploitation: Teachers argue that while the university extracts full work from them akin to regular faculty, step-motherly treatment is meted out when it comes to compensation, which is entirely unjust.
University Administration's Reaction and Assurances
As the matter gained momentum, the university administration swung into action:
Claims of Prompt Disbursement: TMBU administrative officials stated that the file regarding the honorarium payments of guest teachers is currently under process. As soon as funds arrive from government grants and internal university sources, the pending amounts will be transferred to everyone's accounts via RTGS.
Appeal to Maintain Restraint: Officials appealed to the teachers to exercise patience, assuring them that their issues are being resolved on a priority basis.
This step taken by guest teachers in Bhagalpur's TMBU concerning honorarium payments raises serious question marks over the university's administrative efficiency. If the administration fails to resolve this grave issue in a timely manner, academic activities within the university could stall in the days ahead, directly harming the futures of the students.
