MADURAI: The sad plight of 187 non-teaching employees who are working on consolidated pay in Madurai Kamaraj University (MKU) here for the past several years in various varsity departments was taken to the urgent attention of Tamil Nadu Governor, State government and also to Prime Minister Mr.Narendra Modi.
Their request for absorption and regularisation of service was given as a detailed representation with all particulars by MKU Consolidated Pay Employees Welfare Association on October 17th 2026 seeking help from Governor Mr.R.V.Arlekar and Higher Education Department because these employees had put in decades of service but are now getting consolidated pay only.
“We have been working in MKU for periods ranging from 12 to 35 years in various administrative and supporting duties including clerks, sweepers, watchmen, gardeners, drivers, electricians, cooks, plumbers and medical assistants etc. There are 187 consolidated pay employees in non-teaching categories who are making a request to our Governor and Government,” association president C.Gopinath and secretary M.Savariguru along with treasurer N.Balakrishnan have appealed in their representation to Lok Bhavan in Chennai and to thehigher education authorities of State government.
SEVERAL VACANCIES ARE THERE:
While giving age profile details of the consolidated pay employees to highlight the urgency of their plea, the association had also pointed out a few budgetary particulars and substantial number of vacancies that are available now in the sanctioned non-teaching staff strength.
“At present, the university is paying Rs.40 lakhs per month as consolidated pay to all the 187 employees put together with the approval of Finance Committee. If the resolutions already approved by the authorities take shape, and if our services are regularized and pay is fixed in applicable regular timescale, the monthly expenditure will be just an additional Rs.1.85 lakh per month. So, our appeal is simple but of great impact because it gives us security and benefits,” the association has said asking for help on humanitarian grounds.
The budget sanctioned strength of clerks post in MKU is 206 whereas the existing strength is 29 and so there are 177 budget vacancy for clerks.
Similarly, the sanctioned number of attender and S/W/G is 316, but there are only 134 right now in these duties and so the vacancy number is 182.
Eight electrician posts which are budget sanctioned are totally vacant, one plumber post is vacant and in the case of drivers the sanctioned number is 22 whereas the existing strength of drivers is only 9 thereby giving 13 vacancies.
“The total number of vacancies in non-teaching category posts is 429 presently (601 is sanctioned and 172 is existing). There is also an order from the Madurai Bench of Madras High Court passed on March 11th 2024 for a petition filed when 120 consolidated pay employees had approached the court seeking regularisation of their services. There are also Syndicate resolutions passed in this university. So, we humbly urge the Governor and Governments at the State and Centre to come to the rescue of long-serving consolidated pay employees who are struggling to run their families because of low income despite decades of service in the same MKU,” the association had stressed in its memorandum sent to TN Governor, copies of which were also sent to President of India, PM and higher education officials in Chennai.
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