Mumbai, Oct 1: The Indian Institute of Technology-Bombay has delayed the salary for September month, which was to be disbursed to its 500-odd teaching staff, citing fund-crunch. The IIT has blamed the Ministry of Human Resources and Development for not releasing the quarterly funds of July-September.

The institute's assistant registrar sent an email to the teachers on Saturday, claiming that their salaries could not be disbursed this month due to the acute shortage of funds. "Till yesterday evening the fund was expected from MHRD but not received. We are expecting the funds by tomorrow…. Inconvenience is regretted," the mail read. IIT Bombay Beats IIT Delhi in QS World University Rankings 2019: Check List of Top 500 Universities Across the Globe.

The IIT-Bombay administration was expecting to receive the funds by Monday, The salaries will be subsequently credited in the accounts of employees.

The fiasco comes in the wake of demonstrations being held outside the campus by the association of retired professors, who have accused the institute of not releasing their pensions and arrears as per the formula fixed by the government.

Speaking to reporters, Higher Education Secretary R Subrahmanyam counter-blamed the IIT-Bombay for late-submission of utility certificates, which in-turn led to late disbursal of funds.

On pensioners' agitation, Subramanyam said the issue not pertains specifically to IIT-Bombay, but other IITs as well, except for the ones based in Madras and Kharagpur. The top official said the HRD Ministry has asked each of the IITs to submit details of the exact amount required for settling the arrears and paying the pensions as per the new fitment factor. The issue will be sorted within a week, he added.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 01, 2018 04:42 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).