Contractualisation of Academic Jobs Has Severe Consequences for India’s Higher Education
Rituparna Patgiri | 26 July 2024 | The Print
Permanency or job security is one of the major reasons why government jobs continue to remain heavily sought after in India. Despite a growing public sector, there is cut-throat competition for government jobs because of their nature, increments, security, and benefits. The aspiration for government jobs received a further boost after the implementation of the Seventh Pay Commission in 2016. However, in recent years, one can see a rising trend towards casualisation/contractualisation of these assured/permanent jobs, especially in higher educational institutions.
Both teaching and non-teaching jobs are now increasingly advertised as contractual positions. A person is appointed for a few months with a fixed salary as per a contract. This contract is either for a few months or years and may or may not be renewed. There is an important condition that governs these appointments—the contract can be terminated at any time. This conditional appointment in fact makes these jobs similar to those in the private sector. There are no salary increments, social security benefits or promotions and leave policy…