Bengaluru: Part-time and guest faculty members at Bangalore University are reportedly waiting for their remuneration for four months, raising concerns among teaching staff who depend on the payments for their regular expenses. The delay has affected faculty members working across postgraduate departments, with the issue coming at a time when the university has continued its guest faculty recruitment for the 2026–27 academic year.

Bangalore University’s guest faculty positions are temporary appointments linked to the workload of individual departments. The university’s 2026–27 recruitment notification provides separate remuneration structures for full-time and part-time guest faculty, depending on their qualifications and workload.

The reported delay in payments has now put the spotlight on the financial uncertainty faced by teachers working under the guest faculty system.

Guest faculty payments remain pending

According to the report, part-time and guest faculty members have not received their salaries or remuneration for around four months. Unlike regular faculty members, guest teachers are engaged on a temporary basis and are paid according to the hours or workload assigned to them.

The delay is significant because part-time faculty are generally paid on an hourly basis rather than through the regular monthly salary structure applicable to permanent teaching staff.

Bangalore University’s current recruitment notification states that part-time guest faculty members with NET, SLET or PhD qualifications are entitled to Rs 780 per hour, while those without these qualifications are entitled to Rs 680 per hour. Full-time guest faculty with the specified qualifications are offered Rs 50,000 per month, subject to the prescribed workload.

University continues guest faculty appointments

The salary issue comes even as Bangalore University has initiated recruitment for full-time and part-time guest faculty for the 2026–27 academic year.

The university’s recruitment covers several postgraduate departments at the Jnanabharathi campus as well as the PG Centre at Ramanagara. The positions are temporary and are based on the existing workload of individual departments.

The recruitment notification was issued in August, with the online application deadline subsequently extended to August 27, according to the university’s guest faculty application portal.

The continuation of guest faculty appointments underlines their role in meeting teaching requirements in departments where the available workload cannot be handled entirely by regular faculty.

How guest faculty remuneration is calculated

The remuneration structure at Bangalore University differs according to the nature of appointment and academic qualifications.

Full-time guest faculty members with NET, SLET or PhD qualifications are entitled to Rs 50,000 per month, with a maximum workload of 16 hours a week or up to 64 hours a month.

For part-time teachers, the university has fixed an hourly remuneration of Rs 780 for those holding NET, SLET or PhD qualifications. Part-time guest faculty without these qualifications are paid Rs 680 per hour.

The notification also states that guest faculty appointments do not carry benefits such as allowances, pension, gratuity or leave benefits available to regular teachers.

This makes timely payment particularly important for guest faculty members, whose engagement does not provide the wider employment benefits associated with permanent university appointments.

Faculty workload linked to departmental requirements

Bangalore University appoints guest faculty based on the workload available in individual departments. Selected teachers can be assigned teaching responsibilities in the university’s postgraduate departments and, where applicable, the PG Centre at Ramanagara.

The university’s recruitment terms also require eligible candidates to meet the prescribed academic qualifications under UGC regulations. Candidates appearing for interviews are required to give a demo class as part of the selection process.

The temporary nature of these appointments means guest faculty members have less employment security than regular teachers. At the same time, their teaching contribution remains important for ensuring that postgraduate courses can operate according to departmental requirements.

Payment delays add to concerns over temporary employment

The reported four-month delay has brought renewed attention to the working conditions of guest faculty in higher education institutions.

For a teacher paid on an hourly basis, a prolonged delay can result in a significant accumulation of unpaid remuneration. The issue can become more difficult when faculty members have already completed their assigned teaching workload but are still waiting for the corresponding payments.

Bangalore University’s existing system includes documentation relating to the hours and classes handled by guest faculty for remuneration claims. A university guest faculty monthly bill format requires details such as the department, subject, month, duration of classes and amount claimed, along with certification of the work completed.

The payment process therefore involves recording and certifying the teaching workload before remuneration is released.

Broader implications for higher education

Guest faculty form an important part of the staffing structure in many higher education institutions, particularly where departments have fluctuating workloads or vacancies.

At Bangalore University, the 2026–27 recruitment covers a wide range of subjects across the Arts, Science, Commerce and Education faculties, as well as departments at Ramanagara. The recruitment portal lists the guest faculty process for the current academic year.

Any prolonged delay in remuneration can consequently affect not only individual teachers but also the broader relationship between universities and temporary academic staff.

For faculty members, regular payment is an important part of maintaining financial stability. For universities, timely processing of remuneration is also connected to maintaining a dependable pool of teachers for academic activities.

Need for clarity on pending payments

The reported four-month delay has placed the focus on the need for clarity regarding when pending remuneration will be released to the affected faculty members.

Bangalore University’s guest faculty recruitment framework clearly sets out the applicable hourly and monthly remuneration rates, but the reported payment delay concerns the release of amounts already due for work performed.

As the 2026–27 academic year progresses, timely settlement of pending remuneration will remain an important issue for guest faculty members who continue to contribute to teaching across the university’s postgraduate departments.