Retired Osmania University Professor's Pension Battle Threatens His Life
HYDERABAD: Professor Mohammad Ansari, who dedicated nearly his entire adult life to Osmania University (OU) as both a student and faculty member, is now fighting for survival. A prolonged technical dispute over his pension has left him without financial resources for critical medical treatment, pushing his family into a desperate situation.
A Life Dedicated to Education Now in Peril
The 64-year-old retired linguistics teacher fell seriously ill approximately ten days ago, slipping into a coma due to complications affecting his kidneys and lungs. His family faces mounting hospital bills without the pension income that should have been his safety net. "We have spent about Rs 25 lakh so far. The hospital is charging between Rs 30,000 and Rs 40,000 daily. We don't have any money left. We can only afford a rehabilitation centre," explained Fayyaz Ansari, the professor's brother.
Professor Ansari's connection to Osmania University began decades ago. He started working there in 1997, initially as part-time faculty before transitioning to a regular staff position. However, his service record has been mired in controversy since 1996, when he first attempted to resolve anomalies in his appointment status.
Decades of Legal and Administrative Struggles
The family alleges that despite clear directions from the Andhra Pradesh High Court in 1998, which instructed the state higher education department to make a decision on his appointment, and subsequent intervention by an Assembly committee that eventually led to the issuance of appointment orders, the university refused to recognize his service from 1996 for pension calculations.
"Despite selection, he was not given joining orders. He was forced to work as a part-time faculty. In 2003, after approaching the minority commission, the HC and the assembly, he finally got orders to join as full-time faculty," Fayyaz Ansari detailed, emphasizing that the university was only willing to consider pension eligibility from 2003, a position Professor Ansari consistently disputed.
This disagreement has created a devastating financial gap. The university's stance means that seven years of potential pension benefits remain unrecognized, directly impacting the professor's current medical crisis.
Double Denial: OPS and LIC-Linked Pension Both Withheld
Compounding the injustice, Professor Ansari was also denied an LIC-linked pension alternative, designed for those ineligible under the Old Pension Scheme (OPS). Premiums were deducted from his salary for nearly fifteen years, yet the pension was refused on the grounds that he already qualified for OPS—a claim contradicted by the ongoing dispute. The total amount paid toward this pension was returned in 2018, leaving him without either retirement benefit.
"Our professor is being denied what's rightfully his. If he is not eligible for OPS, why did they deny his LIC-linked pension? Even his provident fund and other benefits are stuck as the professor wanted them to be paid since 1996 and the varsity was willing to pay only from 2003," stated Mohammed Younus Parveez, an OU student. He noted that multiple high court orders emphasize that notification dates, not joining dates, should determine service calculations.
Community Response and Administrative Standoff
In response to the crisis, students have initiated crowdfunding efforts to support Professor Ansari's treatment. Members of the OU Students' Joint Action Committee (JAC) have called for immediate government intervention, suggesting that if retirement benefits cannot be released promptly, the university administration could organize a one-day salary contribution from staff to cover medical expenses.
The issue gained political attention when CPI MLA Kunamneni Sambasiva Rao raised Professor Ansari's condition in the state assembly recently, highlighting the human cost of bureaucratic delays.
However, OU Registrar G Naresh Reddy maintained that the university's hands are tied. "He was not on the varsity rolls then. How can it be considered? In fact, this issue was placed before the executive council and the govt multiple times and it was rejected," Reddy asserted regarding the 1996 service claim. He added that the LIC-linked pension matter involves ten other faculty members who joined between 2001 and 2004, with the government keeping it in abeyance.
A Broader Implication for Educational Governance
This case underscores systemic issues in pension administration and employee rights within Indian higher education institutions. Professor Ansari's plight reflects how technical disputes can escalate into life-threatening situations when vulnerable individuals are caught between institutional policies and personal emergencies.
As his family prepares to move him to a rehabilitation centre as a last resort, the broader academic community watches closely, hoping for a resolution that honors his decades of service and prevents similar tragedies in the future.
