Even After PhD, Assam's Young Academics Struggle With Poverty Of Wages

Assam’s higher education sector is facing a growing crisis as thousands of young scholars remain trapped in contractual positions, earning meagre salaries while senior faculty are preferred in new government initiatives.

Dr. Ranjan Das, a sociology PhD from Assam University, Silchar, highlighted the issue, saying, “Assam’s higher education is in a deep crisis. For over a year, recruitment for Assistant Professors has been frozen, leaving thousands of qualified scholars—mostly in their late 20s and 30s—stuck in uncertainty. Many are NET/SLET-qualified, M.Phil. holders, Ph.D.s, and even Post-Doctoral researchers, yet they survive on contractual pay of just ₹5,000–₹8,000 a month. Behind every research paper lies years of study, sleepless nights, and countless personal sacrifices. These are people who dedicated a decade or more to knowledge and research, yet now find themselves struggling to make ends meet.”

The situation has intensified following a July 18 directive for four newly established model colleges in Assam, which mandated the appointment of retired professors at a monthly pay of ₹1 lakh. Newly recruited professors were offered just ₹50,000.

The directive also suggested a 50:50 ratio of retired and new faculty, but in practice, departments with three vacancies are filling two posts with retired faculty, leaving only one-third of positions for young academics.
During a recent cabinet meeting, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma defended the pay structure, stating there would be no changes to the salaries of retired professors, despite growing criticism from academics and student bodies.

Young Faculty Face Probation and Pay Suppression

New recruits are also subject to a three-year probation period with fixed pay of ₹50,000—a practice criticized as a violation of UGC norms, which mandate full 7th CPC pay scales from the date of appointment. Regularisation after probation is not guaranteed and is left to the discretion of college governing bodies, now including local MLAs, raising concerns over political interference.

Dr. Das further emphasized the plight of Assam’s young academics, stating, “It’s time the government lifts the recruitment freeze, restores merit-based selection, and gives due recognition to the hard work and sacrifice of Assam’s research scholars.

The timely release of recruitment advertisements is essential to maintain academic standards, prevent brain drain, and provide stable opportunities for research scholars.

Assam’s higher education now largely depends on contractual teachers, often without required qualifications, which threatens quality and credibility. Authorities must expedite the recruitment process to protect the future of higher education in the state.”

Also Read: CURSA Opposes Retired Faculty Recruitment in Model Colleges, Demands Merit Hiring