It took a lot of pain and courage to even bring myself to write about the last 2 months of torture I have suffered at the hands of R.N. Podar School Authorities @rnpodarschool
I have been teaching psychology (Part –Time) for last 14 years at Khar Campus of R.N. Podar. In June’ 19, I was told by Nitika Bajaj (Head Mistress) @nitikabajaj20 teach at their Powai Campus. Mrs Avnita Bir @avnita (Principal Director) wanted to hire a new teacher for #Powai
but it was Nitika who suggested to Bir that Pallavi should be teaching at Powai campus.
As Nitika discussed the new opportunity, she mentioned that Avnita Bir had figured out my remuneration
As Nitika discussed the new opportunity, she mentioned that Avnita Bir had figured out my remuneration
(Yes, It works that way at Podar School. HR is redundant there and the treatment of teaching staff is at the whims and fancies of the Avnita Bir. Ego massages are a must)
I accepted the offer and I started teaching part-time at Powai from June’19. I wasn’t paid for June. I was paid for July and I got my salary in August’19 which was less than half of what an intern would be paid
Can you believe it, an accomplished and passionate teacher with 14 years of experience who consistently helped the school get national toppers in psychology, gets paid even less than half of an intern’s salary?
For the time given for Powai Campus including my travel I was spending almost all of my day and that meant I had to turn down clients counselling/therapy sessions which was an additional financial loss
This was taking a huge toll on me emotionally and financially and so I reached out to Nitika Bajaj to discuss the Powai remuneration. Initially, she said that she will discuss the same with Avnita Bir and come back.
It took Nitika Bajaj a week to revert to me, while I was still continuing my teaching duties at Powai. She told me that there will be no remuneration change for this year, a typical strategy by them to buy time and continue their shameless exploitation
The salary paid to me for Powai wouldn’t even get them a peon. I told her that in that case it is not financially viable for me to teach at Powai and would like to discontinue from Powai and will continue with the earlier arrangement i.e. teaching at Khar only.
Upon hearing this, Nitika went into a frenzy and started to yell at me, her go-to reaction when you do not immediately cave to her whims and fancies. The only option I was given was ‘Continue with Powai Campus or else you have to let go teaching at Khar too’.
I maintained my composure and told her that this condition is not a win-win solution but rather arm twisting and as stated earlier I will teach at Powai for a month until they find a teacher for that campus.
Her yelling continued, which was mainly derogatory remarks along the lines of “Some teachers are easy to find and replace”, ‘Do what Avnita Bir says or leave the job’ etc. The conversation lasted for 15 minutes and she dismissed me.
When things settled I requested Nitika Bajaj to help me get a 10 minute window with Avnita Bir as I thought she would understand my concern and address it or least assure me that she will address it, to which I was promised that my request would be honoured and arranged
However Avnita Bir was too busy to meet me for 10 minutes in a span of 2 months (in fact, she is never accessible to her staff and operates out of her Ivory tower). My repeated requests for meeting were turned down by her secretary while I saw her meeting and chatting
her sycophants.
One fine day, Avnita Bir and I met in the lobby to which I told her that I was trying to reach her to discuss the Powai episode and she rudely said that ‘She will let me know’ (by the way, she still hasn’t let me know till date) and walked past me.
One fine day, Avnita Bir and I met in the lobby to which I told her that I was trying to reach her to discuss the Powai episode and she rudely said that ‘She will let me know’ (by the way, she still hasn’t let me know till date) and walked past me.
Apparently, addressing a senior teacher’s concern is a petty matter of little importance for Avnita Bir but like I said this is how it works at RN Podar; you are at her mercy. Later Nitika reiterated the same thing: ‘Powai campus or no Khar Campus too’
Unable to get any resolution, I offered my resignation as told by Nitika, via email and clearly stated that I will be available at Khar campus till end of September’19 (I actually took the option given by her and my resignation email hasn’t been acknowledged till date,
and yes she is tech savvy and insists that teachers also be tech savvy ;) )
I completed my duties in that time frame and handed over the keys. The students were unhappy about my leaving and even protested to school authorities about their favourite teacher being asked to leave.
I completed my duties in that time frame and handed over the keys. The students were unhappy about my leaving and even protested to school authorities about their favourite teacher being asked to leave.
They students were told to mind their business and were supressed by demanding written apologies from their parents for voicing their concerns to Dr Pawan Podar, which according to Mrs Bir was disrespectful to her.
I would like to bring to your notice that my official RN Podar e-mail id’s password has been changed by someone at school at 1st Oct’19 and can be misused for any communication and other nefarious purposes. Ideally, it should had been discontinued.
My password was known to the career counsellor of the school (Ashwathi Padmakumar) which she used for sending LOR for students on my behalf (another absurd norm at Podar School)
PLEASE NOTE: ANY COMMUNICATION TO PARENTS OR PODAR SCHOOL OR ANYONE FROM MY PODAR OFFICIAL MAIL ID AFTER 1ST OCT’19 HAS NOT BEEN SENT BY ME.
After serving the notice period, my salary was held up & no communication on the mail or phone was done regarding my full-and-final settlement or relieving letter. I even wrote a desperate last resort e-mail to Dr Pawan Podar & Dr Nayana Mendhi (HR)
narrating the whole incident however, in true RN Podar fashion, this too was ignored.
I am not asking them to take me back on the job but acknowledge my resignation and settle my FNF and we both part ways respectfully @MumbaiMirror @htTweets
I am not asking them to take me back on the job but acknowledge my resignation and settle my FNF and we both part ways respectfully @MumbaiMirror @htTweets
@MumbaiMirror @htTweets I am unable to understand the behaviour of Avnita Bir and Podar authorities, despite being in the psychology profession, that they are willing to torment their staff because they think teachers are expendable pawns.
This is sadly not the first time this has happened nor this will be the last time if Avnita Bir continuous her high handedness
I wonder why Dr Pawan Podar and the trustees do not realise that such high handedness of one person, who is also an employee just like the rest of us, damages the goodwill that R.N. Podar school has built over decades
I am going through huge mental trauma and agony due to the treatment meted out to me by Avnita Bir & Nitika Bajaj. As a psychology professional I am equipped to deal with this but I can hardly imagine the damage such behaviour can cause to a person not from a psychology backgroun
Imagine the example we set for the young impressionable minds Podar aims to educate when the institute itself demonstrates that you can get away with injustice if you have power
putting on a façade of positivity to fool the world while crushing the teachers under the wheels of arrogance, who do the actual leg work required to build the school’s reputation.
