Hundreds of guest lecturers serving in government first-grade colleges across Karnataka have launched an indefinite strike, plunging the state's higher education sector into uncertainty. The protest, which began on Wednesday, centers on the state government's decision to exclude a significant majority of these temporary faculty members from a crucial counselling process that determines their employment for the upcoming academic year.
The Heart of the Protest: Exclusion from Counselling
The agitation was initiated by the State Coordination Committee for Government Degree Colleges. Lecturers gathered outside the office of the Joint Director of the Department of Collegiate Education near Metropole Junction in Mysuru. Their primary demand is for the state government to immediately halt the ongoing counselling sessions for appointing guest lecturers for the 2025-26 academic session.
The core issue lies in the eligibility criteria set for the counselling. The government has stipulated that only guest lecturers who are UGC-qualified are permitted to participate. This move has created a stark divide among the temporary teaching workforce. Out of a total of 10,972 guest lecturers working across 440 government first-grade colleges in Karnataka, only 5,068 who meet the UGC norms have been allowed to attend the counselling.
This decision effectively sidelines the remaining 6,904 guest lecturers, leaving them in professional limbo. The protesting lecturers have labeled this move as a grave injustice, accusing the government of initiating measures to discontinue their services arbitrarily.
A Plea on Humanitarian Grounds
The protesting educators are appealing to the government to reconsider its stance based on compassion and long service. Many of the excluded lecturers have been serving in their roles for extended periods, with some having dedicated over 20 years to teaching students in government colleges.
They argue that their livelihoods and the well-being of their families are at stake. The earnings from their guest lecturer positions support not just them but also their aged parents and other dependents. The committee is urging the state authorities to relax the UGC norms specifically for this existing pool of guest lecturers, allowing all of them to continue their service and participate in the counselling process.
Threat of Escalation and Statewide Agitation
The guest lecturers have made it clear that this is not a symbolic protest. They have threatened to intensify their agitation and expand it into a statewide movement if their demands are not met. The indefinite strike will continue, they assert, until the government addresses their plea for job security and fair treatment.
The standoff highlights the ongoing challenges faced by temporary teaching staff in India's higher education system, where qualifications and job security often clash with experience and immediate institutional needs. The resolution of this strike will significantly impact the commencement of the next academic year for numerous government colleges across Karnataka.
