Hyderabad: Pvt engineering colleges faculty cry foul over FFC postponement

Hyderabad : Has the Fact Finding Committee (FFC) inspections by the Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University, Hyderabad (JNTU-H) turned into a curse to the faculty of private unaided engineering colleges? The JNTU-H had initiated the FFC inspections of private engineering college from March 1. However, they were postponed indefinitely following instructions from higher-ups in the State Education Department (SED).

According to JNTU-H sources, no reason was given for the direction asking to postpone the inspections. However, they had come at the behest of some prominent private engineering institutions. Now the faculty members are crying foul that they have not been paid salaries ranging from 3-5 months by various colleges in and around Hyderabad.

Speaking to The Hans India, M Narendra (name changed), a senior faculty of Computer Sciences in a private college having branches located in Bandalguda and Hyderabad, said, "Our salaries have been pending for the last four months; there is no word when the college would disburse it." The group has several engineering, management and under-graduate colleges which reportedly kept disbursal of salaries pending for 3-4 months.

S Nirmala (name changed), working as an assistant professor in a prominent college in Ghatkesar, pointed out that it kept salaries pending for the last three months.

The faculty members complain that the college management used to pay salaries at least two-three months ahead of the FFC inspections. They had to show records of salaries paid during inspections along with staffing. But, since the FFC inspections have been postponed indefinitely, given the ensuing Parliament elections, there is no possibility of them taking place till the middle of June this year.

The college management is taking advantage of this and further delaying payment of salaries, they pointed out.

Terming the government decision to mount pressure on JNTU-H to postpone the inspections at the behest of a few colleges, they say has hit them hard, the faculty alleged.

When contacted, JNTU-H sources pointed out that the inspections were planned to start from March 1. They were to complete the process ahead of the Engineering, Agriculture and Pharmacy Common Entrance Test (EAPCET); also, in a few colleges to avoid the delay due to the ensuing elections. However, the university had to indefinitely postpone them following the original directions of higher-ups in the department, officials said.