“UK salaries are becoming an absolute joke"
A University of Warwick professor sparked a debate after slamming the UK’s salaries.
Anant Sudarshan, an Associate Professor at the Department of Economics at the University of Warwick, said he has lost out on top talent, adding that some government universities in India are paying more.
He took to X to highlight his concerns about low salaries in the UK academic sector.
Professor Sudarshan pointed out that even for skilled roles in the UK, salaries have become so low in absolute terms (actual monetary value) that they are losing out to offers from countries like India.
He tweeted: “UK salaries are becoming an absolute joke, especially for contractual staff.
“I have failed to hire people eligible for the UK’s special high potential individual visa because a government university in India is willing to pay them slightly more in absolute terms than here.”
The professor pointed out that the High Potential Individual (HPI) visa scheme is being undercut by unattractive salaries in the UK.
However, he clarified that UK salaries are generally higher than those in India on average.
Professor Sudarshan continued: “To be clear – there is no comparison in absolute terms on average and thus, for most people (although PPP looks different).
“But on the margins, for the best people, the UK is now stunningly unattractive, especially in academia.”
UK salaries are becoming an absolute joke especially for contractual staff. I have failed to hire people eligible for the UKs special high potential individual visa because a *government* university in *India* is willing to pay them slightly more *in absolute terms* than here.
— Anant Sudarshan (@anantsudarshan) December 16, 2024
Addressing queries about salaries, he added:
“The UGC pay scales are much lower, but individual project staff on short-term contracts can get paid more.
“That said many contract teachers in the UK pull in about 30k pounds. PPP that’s about 7.5 lakhs annually.”
His criticism sparked an online debate, with some highlighting the issue in other industries.
One wrote: “UK salaries are equally bad in the tech sector also!”
Another posted: “I know that the UK salaries are bad, but had no idea that Indian government universities offered more in absolute terms.
“Because that would be amplified in PPP terms considering the extremely high rent and cost of living in the UK.”
Professor Sudarshan replied: “No they do not offer more on standard scales (unless you adjust for PPP).
“But in special cases eg 2-3 year project appointments where pay is flexible, UK scales are now so low that the two can become comparable even in absolute terms. An absolutely vast difference in PPP terms.”
However, many spouted racist remarks, telling him to “go back” or hire UK citizens for job vacancies instead of foreign nationals.
One person said: “Maybe you should all go back!”
Another comment read: “Whatever it takes. Go back.”
A third wrote: “Boo hoo. Hire citizens.”
The professor hit back: “The point isn’t whether someone is a citizen or not. The point is whoever is hired is paid too little – citizens don’t get more!”
Loading ...