451 contractual faculty of engineering, polytechnic protest over job security in Kahilipara

Guwahati, Feb. 18: Contractual faculty members of engineering colleges and polytechnics in Assam staged a protest in Kahilipara on Tuesday, demanding recruitment under the provisions of Regulation 3(f) of the Assam Public Service Commission (Limitations of Functions) Regulations, 1951.

A total of 451 faculty members assembled to raise their concerns, seeking justice and a permanent solution to their long-standing grievances.

These faculty members were recruited on a contractual basis by the DTE in 2017, primarily to meet the recognition criteria of the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE).

Netramoni Barua, a contractual lecturer at Nagaon Polytechnic, spoke on behalf of the protesters, saying, "While Regulation 3(f) provides scale pay, it does not secure a permanent position. Some of us were even shown as permanent faculty members, though we were not. We've been serving for years without the benefits of permanent employment."

The protesters highlighted that the DTE had retained their original documents and had forced them to sign undertakings that barred them from seeking other employment opportunities.

They also accused the new DTE leadership of dismissing their concerns.

The faculty members expressed frustration that the state government had failed to implement a Cabinet decision made in September 2024 to provide these faculty members with the scale pay and other benefits outlined in Regulation 3(f).

They also voiced concerns over the irregularities in new faculty appointments and unfair competition for permanent roles.

The protesting faculty members have called for the reinstatement of released faculty, the halting of new recruitments until their positions are safeguarded, and the implementation of the Cabinet's decision regarding their recruitment.