Video Producer: Maaz Hasan
Video Editor: Nitin Bisht
Seven years ago, I planned to become an assistant professor and worked hard towards this goal. I qualified for UGC NET and even topped my university exams with the hope of taking care of my family, becoming financially independent, and teaching students with complete dedication.
I joined a private college as an assistant professor, hoping the government would soon post vacancies for permanent positions. Whenever someone learned about my assistant professor job, they appreciated it. But I was always scared they would ask about my salary because it is only Rs 15,000 per month.
In many other colleges in the city, salaries ranging between Rs 8,000 and Rs 12,000 are being paid to assistant professors. This happens despite the UGC guideline of Rs 57,700 basic pay for the same post. What is the point of UGC NET Eligibility when we are not given our rights?
'Government Has Failed to Provide Us Jobs'
One fills out a form for an exam thinking that it will be conducted in 1-2 months, and the hiring process will be completed in 5-6 months.
In 2021, I filled out the exam form for UP-PGT (Uttar Pradesh Post Graduate Teacher), expecting to be employed by 2022. However, 2022 and 2023 have passed, and 2024 is about to end, but there are still no signs of the exams being held.
(The Quint has reached out to Uttar Pradesh Secondary Education Service Selection Board to find out more about the delay in conducting the exam. The My Report will be updated as and when they respond.)
'The State of Employment in Private Colleges is Poor'
Without government jobs, we turn to private colleges and in the name of salary, we are paid extremely low wages, and on top of that, we don't get to work for the whole year. After 8-9 months, we are given a relieving letter.
In some colleges, this letter is issued after six months. At the end of every semester, they relieve the assistant professors for a month. In this way, the colleges save one month's salary. They ask us to rejoin in the new semester. As a result, some of us earn for just 6-7 months. For the rest of the year, what happens to our livelihood, nobody cares about it!
Such has been the lives of assistant professors in this country. We can't even speak about this to anyone because we are teachers. Who would we tell? Our families? Our students? Who would listen to us?
The mental health of teachers is in a bad state and their financial conditions are grossly poor. The system has failed teachers.
(All 'My Report' branded stories are submitted by citizen journalists to The Quint. Though The Quint inquires into the claims/allegations from all parties before publishing, the report and the views expressed above are the citizen journalist's own. The Quint neither endorses nor is responsible for the same.)
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