Dimapur, October 18 (MExN): Guest lecturers of Nagaland University’s School of Engineering, Technology and Management (SETAM) suspended classes today due to ‘non-payment’ of honorariums since August 25. The college has over 30 guest lecturers for five departments who are paid by the university on hourly-basis. The lecturers resorted to suspending classes Monday, affecting the academic schedule.
The SETAM Students’ Union issued a press note today expressing concern about the suspension of the classes. The union said that the college consists of 80% guest lecturers and drastic steps taken by them would hamper studies, adding to the already ineffective classes. The college has only ten permanent lecturers for more than 350 students, while some departments have only guest lecturers. The guest lecturers are paid honorarium every month. When contacted, SETAM officer-in-charge Ditalak informed that the matter has been ‘resolved with the guest lecturers.’ He assured that the teachers would resume classes on Tuesday. The delay in payment of the honorariums was not intentional; rather, due to ‘lack of communication between the college and university headquarters,’ Ditalak said.
According to the SETAM officer-in-charge, the college had funds earlier for payment of the honorariums, but had not received ‘engagement order’ from the university headquarters. This was required to make the payment, he said. But now that the funds had been exhausted, the college had asked for additional funds from the headquarters. “We cannot pay honorarium without the engagement order…the order will be out tomorrow and payments will be made,” he said. Ditalak, however, added that it may take a week or so as the ‘fax and internet lines are down at Lumami.’
