Patna, Nov. 2: The education department today released the salaries of teaching and non-teaching employees of 10 state universities.

The department released Rs 806 crore as salaries and pension of June, July, August and September for the varsity employees.

K. Senthil Kumar, the additional secretary education department, said: "On our request to the finance department, it agreed to release the salaries of teaching and non-teaching employees."

Around 7,500 teaching and 25,000 non-teaching employees working with the 10 universities have not received salaries since June.

Without their salaries, the employees had a dull festival (Dusshera, Diwali). But the decision to release the salaries ahead of Chhath will surely bring smiles on the faces of the varsity employees.

Senthil Kumar said: "Rs 806 crore have been sent to the varsity accounts. The teaching and non-teaching employees can withdraw money from their accounts on Thursday."

The employees have welcomed the decision of the education department. Vijay Kumar, an associate professor with RN College, Hajipur, said: "We are expecting that the salaries will be transferred to our accounts ahead of Chhath."

The finance department had put brakes on the release of salaries because the universities failed to submit utilisation certificates to the education department.

The universities have to submit the utilisation certificates that consist of number of teaching, non-teaching employees working at the university.

The utilisation certificate also consists of promotion details of teaching and non-teaching employees, along with new appointments (mainly on compensatory grounds at non-teaching level).