2. Disquiet:

The initial years went by in the euphoria of getting the job I WANTED. Teaching at a University!

Then the usual issues caught up with me. Family, Pay-Scales, Fulfilling UGC requirements for Promotions…

Underneath was a sense of disquiet about the purpose and the use of being a university teacher.

Understanding began to dawn about educational needs, purposes and priorities. But Life’s ‘Pragmatics’ easily over-rode other considerations. Sure, there were silly reactions , more harmful than helpful. But Pragmatics won comprehensively. No lame excuses; I was not sufficiently courageous to follow my instinct.

The disquiet, however, refused to melt away.What useful purpose did I serve?

I decided to take administrative work also at the university… would that help me resolve my dilemma?

My work was appreciated; as was my teaching over the decades.

But the disquiet refused to go away.

I could not confidently suggest names of students for teaching positions which were referred to me. And I could not convince higher administration to take certain steps.

The disquiet resurfaced…Strongly. After three decades of service.

What should I do?

I understood fully one day. And I acted on instinct. Not entirely on instinct; there was some planning; but mostly… instinct.

What did I do?

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1. Why Did I Take Early Retirement ?

I took Voluntary Retirement from Osmania University , end of September 2010. I had a little more than 04 years before superannuation in 2015. I had worked for 30 years in the Department of English. I joined as Lecturer in September 1980 and became Professor in 2003, courtesy UGC’s schemes for employees who were caught in a stagnant rut. In 2010, I started getting a salary of over INR 1 Lakh per month, courtesy UGC’s recommended new pay-scales. The arrears of pay in the new scales are due from 01-01-2006 and may be paid if the AP State Govt. decides to pay. That will be a munificent amount. In the subsequent 04 years I’d have earned a neat INR 50 Lakhs and then more by way of pensionary benefits. WHY DID I TAKE EARLY RETIREMENT ?

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