Around 450 contractual and casual employees of North Bengal University (NBU) abstained from their duties at the institution since Monday, while renewing their demand for a 10 per cent hike in their salaries.

On Tuesday, the employees held a demonstration at the administrative building under the banner of Sara Bangla Trinamool Sikshabandhu Samiti, reasserting the demand that the varsity should increase their pay immediately.

Ranjit Roy, joint convener of the NBU unit of the samiti, mentioned that they had launched a similar protest on February 19 this year, which continued for 21 days.

“Earlier, we had to withdraw the protest because of the Lok Sabha polls. But this time, we will continue our movement until our demand is met. We had also submitted a memorandum to the acting vice-chancellor of the varsity but the authorities haven’t done anything so far,” said Roy.

The employees on dharna work in different departments of the NBU. As they are not joining their duties, administrative and academic work is getting affected at the varsity.

“Our demand is only 10 per cent hike in salaries for employees who work on contractual, casual, and man-day basis,” Roy said.

He pointed out that if their salaries are revised, there will be a monthly increment of ₹1,800 to 1,900 for the fourth grade staff.

“Those working in group C will get an increment of around ₹2,000 while those working on contractual basis will get ₹2,700 more per month. There are some sub-assistant engineers at the NBU who would get a monthly hike of ₹4,000. If the authorities do not give us anything in writing, we will continue our movement,” said a senior contractual employee.

Debasis Dutta, the officiating registrar of the NBU, admitted that such a moveby these employees is affecting various works of the varsity.

“We have exams for the second and fourth semesters of postgraduate studentsfrom July 2. There is uncertainty over salary disposal on July 1 as some employees from the finance department haver also joined the protest,” said Dutta.

“As there is no VC at the varsity now, we cannot take a call on the issue. We have already sent letters to the chief minister and the Governor informing them about the situation,” he added.