Bhubaneswar, Aug. 30: Protesting aided-college teachers today scuffled with police while attempting to break through a security barricade near the Assembly.

One teacher suffered a serious injury on his leg and around 80 teachers were taken into custody. They were released later.

The teachers had been demonstrating in front of the Assembly for the past two days demanding full grant to their colleges and equal pay for equal work.

When the lecturers and non-teaching staff came closer to the barb-wire barricade set up near the Assembly, which is in session, police officers stopped them. A scuffle ensued as the protesters broke through the barrier.

The incident was discussed in the Assembly. Higher education minister Badri Narayan Patra said he would ask his officials to find out the number of college teachers in the block grant category. “We will discuss the matter with the finance department officials and find out a solution for these teachers,” said Patra.

Vice-president of the teacher association Pabitra Mahala said there were around 500 junior colleges and 283 degree colleges in the state, which were not getting full grant-in-aid. “Though all these colleges have existed for more than 15 years, they are yet to be fully granted,” said Mahala.

Advisor to the association Anant Acharya said there was no equality in payment to the teaching and non-teaching staff working at these colleges. “While some lecturers are getting salary according to the University Grants Commission rules, others are getting it under the state scale and many of us are getting salary as per block grant category, which is a pittance. We want equality in salary payment,” said Mahala.

Around 8,702 teaching and non-teaching staff work at aided colleges in the state. “We have been demanding full grant for the past eight years, but the government officials have been toying with us. They are just giving us assurances but not doing anything concrete,” said a protester, adding that they would continue their protest till their demands were met.