Teaching fellows at 16 constituent colleges of the Anna University staged a protest against its decision to remove them from service without prior notice, on Saturday.

The teaching fellows, numbering 335, were employed as temporary faculty in the constituent colleges for 10 to 15 years, drawing salaries between ₹25,000 and ₹30,000.

S.C. Rajkumar, president, Anna University Temporary Faculty Welfare Association, said the members approached the university authorities for clarification, but did not get a proper response.

Their biannual contract, which was to be renewed in January last, was not renewed, leaving them in the lurch. Mr. Rajkumar said the protest was to bring to the notice of the Chief Minister the livelihood issues faced by the temporary faculty.

The university authorities said their contracts were not renewed since the constituent colleges did not have vacancies, which was not true, he added.

During their recruitment, the teaching fellows had to pass a written test and face an interview panel, but proper procedures were not followed before removing them from service, he added.