The government-run Tata Institute of Fundamental Research paid only half the net salary for February to its staff citing fund crunch, but coughed up the remaining amount after the cash paucity news went viral.
In a letter to the staff on Wednesday, TIFR registrar Wing Commander (retd) George Antony said, “Due to insufficient funds, staff members and students and post-doctoral fellows of TIFR, its centres and field stations will be paid 50 per cent of the net salary for the month of February immediately.”
“The remaining part of the salary will be paid when sufficient funds are available,” the letter had said, adding deductions will be calculated on full salary as per rules.
After the news that a premier research institute in the country was facing fund shortage spread, the authorities, in an apparent fire-fighting exercise, deposited the remaining salary component of the staff in their bank accounts.
“The complete salary of all the employees of TIFR has been credited to their respective bank accounts. The issue has been solved now,” Antony told reporters.
Noted historian Ramachandra Guha said earlier on Thursday that TIFR is in a perilous state. “The perilous financial state of one of Indias finest scientific research institutes,” he tweeted.
Another twitter user said the government should explain why this (salary cut) happened. “If this is the condition of TIFR, then what will be the future of education in our country?” he said.
