Directorate of Collegiate Education introduces SOP for guest lecturer postings, salary disbursal

Principals are mandated to ensure that salaries for guest lecturers are paid prior to submitting salary bills for regular faculty members

The Directorate of Collegiate Education (DCE) has implemented a standard operating protocol (SOP) for the appointment of guest lecturers in government and aided colleges across Kerala.

The initiative also aims at streamlining the approval process for appointments, and regulating wage disbursal and other operational activities to address recurrent issues associated with non-compliance with established government norms, which have often led to disputes.

The SOP establishes clear guidelines for all parties involved, including applicants, college managements, Regional Deputy Directors of the DCE, and section staff within the DCE.

Key provisions of the protocol stipulate that Principals, heads of departments (HOD), office superintendents, and section clerks will share responsibility for any delays in the disbursement of guest lecturers’ salaries. Moreover, Principals are mandated to ensure that the salaries for guest lecturers are paid prior to submitting the salary bills for regular faculty members.

To facilitate timely payments, salary bills for guest lecturers at government aided and government colleges must be presented to the office of the respective Regional Deputy Director and the treasury respectively before the 5th working day of the subsequent month.

Duty performance reports

The HODs are also required to submit the duty performance reports of guest lecturers, a prerequisite for salary processing, to the Principal by the end of each month. The Regional Deputy Directors have been tasked with approving guest faculty appointments within 10 days of receiving applications.

While underscoring the need for adhering to the University Grants Commission (UGC) Regulations of 2018 in the appointments of assistant professors, the government has also specified that candidates who have completed postgraduation with a minimum aggregate of 55% may be considered for positions, provided there are no candidates with National Eligibility Test (NET) or PhD qualifications. The SOP incorporates standardised formats for appointment orders and agreements that guest lecturers must execute with college Principals.

Published - November 04, 2024 08:47 pm IST