Higher edu dept releases ₹30 crore to pay outstanding salaries of clock hour basis lecturers

Mumbai's Higher Education Department has released ₹30 crore to clear delayed payments for over 1,000 clock-hour lecturers, providing financial relief ahead of Diwali.

Mumbai: The long-standing issue faced by professors teaching on a clock-hour basis (CHB) regarding the timely payment of their remuneration has finally been addressed. The Higher Education Department on Saturday released ₹30 crore to clear outstanding payments for more than 1,000 lecturers, providing much-needed financial relief just in time for Diwali.

Higher edu dept releases ₹30 crore to pay outstanding salaries of clock hour basis lecturers

Thousands of lecturers working on an hourly basis teach undergraduate and postgraduate students in universities, government colleges, and aided institutions under the Higher and Technical Education Department. Their appointments typically last for nine months; however, delays in the selection process often mean that they miss out on salaries for two-and-a-half to three months, leaving only five to five-and-a-half months available for actual teaching. Lecturers are paid only for the hours they teach, which has created confusion and delays in processing their payments.

Recognising the severity of the problem, Shailendra Devlankar, director of higher education, took swift action. He said, “When I came to know about this issue, I convened an urgent meeting with department heads to address the issue and subsequently ensured that ₹30 crore was deposited in the treasury specifically for CHB lecturer payments. Instructions were also issued to expedite the payment process, ensuring that the concerned professors receive their remuneration promptly.”

As per the proposal submitted by various joint directors, remuneration amounting to ₹30 crore has been approved for around 1,400 lecturers across colleges in the state. A lecturer from Thane-based college said, “Our payment has been delayed due to various reasons for the last six months. We are happy about the swift action taken by the director before the Diwali festival. We are expecting such action every time we are facing the issue of delay in payment.”