Hire permanent principals, DU tells colleges

Delhi University has asked 28 colleges, which have been working without a permanent principal for years, to fill the vacancy at the earliest. Many colleges, such as Hindu, Hansraj, Kirorimal and Delhi College of Arts and Commerce are being headed by officiating principals.

Devesh Sinha, dean of colleges, in a letter written to colleges in March asked the governing body chairpersons to advertise the posts by April 14 and later gave a one-day extension.

Sinha said that only seven colleges have advertised the posts and others have been asked again on March 18 to give out the advertisement at the earliest.

“A letter was sent to all the colleges governing body chairpersons to advertise the post where regular principals are not in place. The deadline given was by 5 pm on 14 April,” he said.

He said till now only Janaki Devi Memorial, Swami Shradhanand, Kirorimal, Delhi Colleges of Arts & Commerce, Gargi College, Ram Lal Anand and Institute of Home Economics, have brought out the ad.

Sinha also said the colleges which do not have permanent principals may not be allowed to go ahead with the interview for recruitment of teaching faculty.

“We will not hold interviews for appointment of teaching faculties where the principals are not even permanent,” he said.

DU had in January begun the process of hiring around 400 assistant professors in various departments. The hiring process started after the University Grants Commission (UGC) brought out new regulations for hiring. These posts have been lying vacant for years with ad-hoc and temporary faculty members teaching students.

The university has vacancies for the post of assistant professors in 41 departments such as Zoology, Statistics, Philosophy.