Regularise ad-hoc staff, teachers association writes to DU V-C

CURRENTLY, ALMOST 50% OF DELHI UNIVERSITY FACULTY IS WORKING UNDER AN ADHOC ARRANGEMENT

NEW DELHI: As April approaches and the academic session ends at Delhi University, the future of around 4,000 ad-hoc teachers hangs in balance. There is no certainty on whether their contracts will be renewed.

The DU Teachers Association (DUTA) has written to vice-chancellor Yogesh Tyagi asking him to permanently recruit them before their contract expires.

DUTA has asked Tyagi to call a meeting of the statutory bodies of the varsity for absorption of the ad-hoc teachers.

“Despite being experienced, academically sound and possessing the required qualifications of an assistant professor, these teachers have been left to work on ad-hoc/temporary basis for several years, simply because Delhi University arbitrarily stopped holding interviews for regular appointments,” said the letter written by DUTA president Nandita Narain.

Currently, almost 50% of Delhi University faculty is employed on an ad-hoc arrangement. Since 2008, there has been no permanent recruitment in the university.

Teachers say this ad-hoc system is also against the rules, as university ordinance says that not more than one-tenth of the faculty strength in a university can be temporary.

This time the university has issued notices for permanent recruitment, but DUTA also highlights that ad-hoc teachers stand lower chance of being recruited.

“The 50:30:20 formula of the University Grants Commission is only going to make matters difficult for the ad-hoc teachers. 50 is for the academic record and research performance, 20 for teaching skill/teaching experience and 20 for interview. This formula is skewed as there is no standardisation f the academic record across universities in the country. Since the ad-hocs are full time working in DU colleges they hardly get time for research performances,” said Rajesh Jha, executive council member.

Raising this issue teachers will also be marching from Mandi House to Jantar Mantar on March 29, raising the issue of absorption.

Even the DU ad-hoc teachers have planned a protest from Arts Faculty to the VC office on March 31, demanding permanent jobs.