Mysore/Mysuru: The guest lecturers serving in various Colleges staged a dharna in front of the Deputy Commissioner’s office in city on Thursday against the State Government’s decision to appoint only 50 per cent of guest lecturers for current academic year.

The protesters, under the banner of Government Degree Colleges Guest Lecturers State Co-ordination Committee, Bengaluru and Mysuru Units jointly sat in dharna and raised slogans against the Government. 

They stated that the Additional Chief Secretary, Higher Education Department, in a circular has stated that of the total 14,183 guest lecturers working in various colleges, only 50 per cent (7091) must be re-selected on seniority basis during current academic year, which  should be done at the principal’s level. This order was against COVID-19 guidelines issued by the State and the Union Governments, they alleged. 

The guidelines had recommended the continuation of the existing guest lecturers for the current year. The Government must put aside the order and continue all guest lecturers for this academic year, they added.

District President of State Co-ordination Committee, Government Degree Colleges Guest Lecturers Association Hanumanthesh, Vice-Presidents T. Balasubramanyam, N. Mahesh, Shyamala and Anil Kumar,  General Secretary Baburaj Mamballi, Joint Secretaries Prakash, Mahesh and Sangeetha were present.