The ongoing salary crisis at Sinhgad Institute has taken a tragic turn after a staff member reportedly ended his life following 11 months of unpaid wages. The incident has triggered widespread outrage and a protest led by the Patit Pavan Sanghatana, highlighting the severe financial and emotional distress faced by hundreds of employees at one of Pune’s largest educational institutions.
According to sources, the deceased employee had been struggling to make ends meet due to nearly a year of unpaid salary. Colleagues and family members revealed that mounting debts, inability to support his family, and repeated pleas to the management for salary disbursal went unanswered. The emotional toll ultimately led him to take the drastic step, leaving behind a grieving family and a shaken staff community.
This is not an isolated incident, multiple reports have surfaced over the past year of Sinhgad Institute employees facing severe financial hardship, with some forced to borrow money or sell possessions to survive.
The tragedy has reignited protests among staff, with the Patit Pavan Sanghatana and employees demanding immediate payment of dues and accountability from the institute’s management. Staffers allege that despite repeated assurances, the administration has failed to clear salary arrears, pushing many into “starvation-like” conditions.
The salary crisis has also disrupted academic schedules. Teachers’ strikes and sit-ins have led to class cancellations, leaving thousands of students without guidance and parents frustrated over the loss of valuable learning days. Many parents, who pay substantial fees for their children’s education, have expressed anger and demanded urgent intervention by authorities.
Sinhgad Institute, which runs multiple schools and colleges across Pune, is already under scrutiny for massive property tax arrears and financial mismanagement. The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has sealed several institute properties over unpaid taxes, but clarified that it has no jurisdiction over salary payments, complicating efforts to resolve the crisis.
Despite appeals to state officials including a recent plea to the Higher and Technical Education Minister, there has been little progress. The complexity of property auctions and legal claims by banks over mortgaged assets have further delayed relief for employees.
A spokesperson for the organization stated, “This tragedy is a direct result of management’s negligence and the government’s failure to protect employee rights. We will continue our agitation until justice is served and staff are paid their rightful dues.”
The Sinhgad Institute crisis is symptomatic of deeper issues in the private education sector, where delayed salaries, lack of transparency, and inadequate regulatory oversight are becoming alarmingly common. Experts warn that such incidents not only harm employees but also undermine the quality of education and erode public trust.
