Himachal universities face financial autonomy crisis as teachers protest

Teachers and non-teaching employees from universities across Himachal Pradesh have announced plans to intensify their agitation over financial autonomy, delayed promotions and pending salary-related benefits, with the protest having continued for nearly 60 days.

Representatives from universities across the state gathered at Himachal Pradesh University on Thursday for a general body meeting, where they expressed dissatisfaction with government decisions and discussed a strategy to expand the agitation statewide.

Nitin Vyas, president of the Himachal Pradesh University Teachers Welfare Association, said the withdrawal of financial autonomy from state universities was adversely affecting higher education.

He said a law introduced in the state Assembly on September 20 had ended the financial autonomy of five state-funded universities. According to Vyas, the universities are receiving only Rs 142 crore in government funding this year, while their salary expenditure alone is around Rs 252 crore, creating a serious financial crunch.

He added that teachers were also awaiting dearness allowance, arrears dating back to 2016, and regular promotions under the Career Advancement Scheme. He further claimed that teachers at the Agricultural University and Nauni University had faced delays in receiving salaries for several months.

Vyas also raised concerns over delays in faculty promotions, saying that promotions under the Career Advancement Scheme had stalled following a government communication issued in October 2022.

As a result, several eligible teachers have been unable to move to the posts of associate professor and professor, with some retiring as assistant professors, he said. The delay was causing financial losses to faculty members and affecting research work by PhD scholars as well as the academic functioning of universities.

The association has urged the government to restore university autonomy and resolve pending promotion-related issues at the earliest.