Delhi-Based University Faces Backlash For Offering Rs 8,000 Salary For Research Assistant Position
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Delhi, 29 May 2023 7:50 AM GMT | Updated 30 May 2023 6:33 AM GMT
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The South Asian University in Delhi has faced severe criticism on Twitter for offering a meagre salary of Rs 8,000 to individuals with PhD, MPhil, or postgraduate degrees to hire them as part-time research assistants.
A recent job posting by a South Delhi-based South Asian University international university supported by the eight member states of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) triggered a backlash on Twitter for offering a salary of Rs 8,000 for the part-time research assistant position.
The job listing shared by South Asian University on May 24 had two openings for research assistants to work on a project called "India and the UN Security Council: Reaching Beyond the Permanent Seat," funded by the Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR). The project will run for ten months, and chosen candidates will have flexible working hours.
Candidates applying for the position should hold a PhD, MPhil, or postgraduate degree in international relations or a related field, with a minimum of 55% marks. Meanwhile, the salary for this position is Rs 8,000 per month, all-inclusive, for ten months.
Social media users pointed out that the monthly salary is exceptionally low, even for part-time employment, especially given that job applicants must have a postgraduate degree to apply for the position.
Furthermore, candidates must be based in New Delhi, the national capital, a metropolis where the cost of living is often greater than in tier 2 or 3 cities, according to the report in Moneycontrol.
Following widespread criticism, the job advertisement is no longer visible on the university's Twitter account. However, it can still be accessed on the university's website.
Netizens React
The public reaction to the job posting was extremely negative, with hundreds of individuals criticizing the institution for the poor compensation and branding it as a "horrible" offer.
"I hope the Indian working class stops accepting laughable compensations like these and starts demanding better pay instead of falling for the scarcity race that institutions like yours love to exploit," another remarked.
One Twitter user asked, "Part-time research assistant salary 8000/month? Seriously? Why does South Asian university think that it would be able to produce excellent work on this important topic?" while another user labelled the entire job posting as a "joke."
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