Guest lecturers in Karnataka protest new regulations

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: Guest lecturers in Karnataka, affiliated with the All India College and University Teachers Association – Non-Regular (AICUTA-NR), staged a protest at Bengaluru’s Freedom Park on Friday. The lecturers voiced concerns over new regulations that threaten their livelihoods and demanded recognition as state government lecturers. V N Rajasekhar, AICUTA- NR Adviser, criticised the dismissal of longserving lecturers, terming it “undemocratic” and citing a High Court ruling against replacing one contract worker with another.

Sunitha, AICUTA-NR President, highlighted the plight of lecturers who have dedicated years to teaching, now facing job uncertainty. “This policy is a gross injustice,” she said, noting its impact on families dependent on these roles. Protesters demanded job security until the age of 60, retention of MPhil-qualified lecturers before July 2009, and the abolition of a proposed online counselling process for selecting lecturers. Recent government orders, enforcing stricter University Grants Commission (UGC) qualification norms, gave lecturers three years to meet these requirements.

Non-compliance post-deadline disqualifies them from appointments. While the Karnataka High Court upheld UGC guidelines, it recommended additional marks for experienced lecturers in selections. As the academic year progresses, the state has allowed temporary continuations. However, lecturers argue the timing disrupts education and devalues experience, pledging to continue their fight for job security.