Madurai University Professors Stage Protest Over Unpaid Promotion Benefits and Arrears
In a significant demonstration of discontent, approximately 500 university professors, including 200 women, gathered for a protest in Arapalayam, Madurai, on Saturday. The educators, representing the Association of University Teachers (AUT) and the Madurai Kamaraj, Manonmaniam Sundaranar, Mother Teresa, and Alagappa University Teachers' Association (MUTA), voiced their demands for the immediate disbursal of promotion-related salary benefits and arrears that have been long overdue.
Core Issue: Non-Implementation of Government Order
A T Senthamarai Kannan, the general secretary of MUTA, highlighted that the protest was directed against the non-implementation of Government Order (GO Ms No 5) issued by the higher education department on January 11, 2021. This order, based on recommendations from the University Grants Commission (UGC) and the Seventh Pay Commission, mandates career upgradation, promotion pay, and arrears for teachers across universities and colleges in Tamil Nadu.
Kannan emphasized a stark disparity in the implementation of this order. "While teachers in government colleges have received promotions along with corresponding salary benefits and arrears, professors in government-aided colleges continue to face discrimination," he stated. He further explained that out of the eight aided college zones in the state, only Coimbatore and Thanjavur zones were granted promotion pay, albeit without arrears. In the remaining six zones, including Chennai, only promotion orders were issued, with neither promotion pay nor arrears being released.
Impact on Research and Student Opportunities
Umamageswari, the vice president of MUTA, shed light on the broader consequences of this delay. She pointed out that due to the failure to issue promotion orders to eligible associate professors, more than 1,000 research students from rural and economically weaker backgrounds have lost the opportunity to pursue doctoral studies over the past three years. This setback not only affects the academic careers of these students but also hampers research and development in higher education institutions.
Broken Promises and Unmet Assurances
Xavier Selvakumar, the general secretary of AUT, added to the grievances by noting that assurances given by the higher education minister, Govi Chezhiaan, regarding the resolution of this issue by January 2026 have not been fulfilled. This broken promise has further fueled the frustration among the teaching community, leading to the organized protest.
The protest underscores a critical issue in Tamil Nadu's higher education sector, where delayed financial benefits and arrears are creating significant hardships for professors in government-aided colleges. The educators' demands highlight the need for equitable treatment and timely implementation of government orders to ensure the welfare of teachers and the advancement of academic pursuits.
