Century-old payment structure in Sanskrit colleges: A principal gets only Tk 149.50 per month

Principals, pandits and employees associated with Sanskrit Colleges are living inhumane lives because of a meagre salary.

Although it may sound astonishing, a Sanskrit college principal gets a monthly salary of Tk 149.50 whereas the pandit of the institution gets the same salary and the office assistant gets only Tk 65. This salary structure in Bangladesh Sanskrit College has not been revised for ages.

Each Sanskrit College has a principal, two pandits and an office assistant. According to the government rule, the principal, scholar and office assistant of Sanskrit Colleges must withdraw their salary from Sonali Bank.

There are two Sanskrit colleges in Lalmonirhat and three in Kurigram. A total of 110 Sanskrit colleges across the country in Bangladesh teach Kabya Byakaran Teertha, Veda, Purana, Astrology and Ayurveda. Each subject is taught for three years--Adya (Beginning), Madhya (Middle) and Upadhi (Degree). The minimum educational qualification for studying in a Sanskrit College is SSC. Around 400-1200 students are studying in each Sanskrit college.

Bipin Chandra Roy, principal of Baidderbazar Sanskrit College in ​​Rajarhat upazila of Kurigram, said that it is hard to believe that a principal and a pandit get a monthly salary of Tk 149.50 which has to be withdrawn from Sonali Bank.

"It costs me Tk 80 to travel to the bank to raise a salary of Tk 149.50," he said.

Prior to joining as a Principal in 1990, he had been working as a pandit in this Sanskrit college. Besides running the college, he has to work in his farm to run the family.

Bipin Chandra Roy demanded that the Ministry of Education think anew about the people associated with Sanskrit Colleges and take effective steps.

Bivatsu Roy, the pandit of the college, said that the government pays him Tk 149.50 a month, which is barely enough to buy a day's food.

'Even then, I have been teaching in the college for the sake of honour. I run my family by farming. I have been teaching in the college for a decade,' he said adding, 'We demand a new payment structure from the education ministry to eliminate the inequality in the payment.'

Manik Chandra Roy, an office assistant of the college, said that he gets a monthly salary of Tk 65. To withdraw a monthly salary of Tk 65, he has to spend Tk 80 to travel to the bank "I have working here hoping that if our payment structure is changed ever, I will be able to run my family well," he said.

Paramananda Roy, the principal of Debirpat Sanskrit College in Aditmari upazila of Lalmonirhat, said that they have to live an inhuman life and it is officially recognised. They have been demanding for a change in their salary structure for a long time but to no avail. 'The salaries of the principals, scholars and staffs of Sanskrit colleges were fixed about 100 years ago and that structure is still in place,' he said.

Lalmonirhat District Education Officer Abul Kalam Azad said that he was aware of the matter. It is a matter for the Ministry of Education.

It is necessary to revise the salary structure of those associated with Sanskrit colleges, he said.