BHOPAL: Principals of state-run colleges are deducting honorariums of guest scholars despite the department of higher sducation releasing the budget. The department of higher education released a budget of Rs 11.94 crore for 489 colleges across the state for the month of April. The budget has been released with an estimate of Rs 33,000 per guest scholar.
The guest scholars across the state have been stuck between two contradictory orders and principals of colleges have started deducting from their honorariums on the basis of their number of days in college.
The central government had issued clear instructions to all the states not to deduct the salaries of employees during the Covid pandemic considering the adverse circumstances faced by almost everyone.
On the contrary, the department of higher education issued instructions that guest scholars should be paid for the number of days they are invited to colleges. "We do more work compared to the members of th3e regular faculty. Even our honorarium isnít much to sustain our families. But, still, if the principals start deducting that, too, during such adverse times, weíre left nowhere," said convener of the guest scholarsí association Devendra Pratap Singh.
Several colleges have completely stopped availing of the services of guest scholars. In others, their days of invitation have been drastically reduced.
ìWeíve been continuously urging the higher education minister and the chief minister to look into our matter sympathetically, but we havenít got any response so far,î added Singh.