As ad-hoc issue escalates, DU teachers demand admin to reconsider decision
New Delhi: The issue of ad-hoc teachers now getting the post of guest faculties, have escalated with Delhi University Teachers' Association (DUTA) demanding the administration to take back the decision. An ad-hoc faculty member is the one who has been appointed without a proper sanctioned post or without proper selection procedures, mostly to take care of immediate contingencies.
However, in a circular dated back to August 28, the authority denied appointment of full time teachers on adhoc vacancies till positions can be filled on permanent basis. This decision is going to affect more than 5000 teachers, for a mere fact that adhoc teachers receive full salary, while guest faculty receive the money per lecture.
Speaking on the issue, Ashwini Shankar, professor at Deshbandhu College, who is also the chairman of Delhi State Indian National Teachers' Congress (INTEC) said, "We are saying that this cannot be done, because many teachers will be brought on roads and will affect the livelihood of about 5000 teachers."
He also said that the administration has taken such decision under pressure of the HRD Ministry. The decision is surprising mainly due to the fact that more than 2000 posts in different colleges of Delhi University are vacant. Hanraj Mehtam, a professor at DU and former member of Academic Council told Millennium Post, "As of now and about 24 posts of principal, 2000 teachers and 1000 non-teaching posts are vacant in DU." On being asked why such decisions were being taken, Shankar said all this is a part of the current government's policy. "That is related to the funding issue. The ministry has reduced the funding for government institutions," he added.
Shankar was speaking on the Draft National Education Policy (DNEP) 2019, which was released into the public domain by the HRD Minister, Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank, soon after he took charge on May 31.
The draft proposes an education policy that aims to address the challenges of access, equity, quality, affordability, and accountability. It also proposes to set up a Rashtriya Shiksha Aayog or National Education Commission as a central advisory body to see the Indian education system, by replacing the existing Central Advisory Board on Education (CABE). The body will be chaired by the Prime Minister himself.
The final draft of DNEP is likely to be tabled in the winter session of the Parliament. DNEP has been criticised by all government institutions including DU and JNU. "They want ad hoc to be converted into more precarious situation. Institutions of this kind cannot be taken to the road of privatisation," said Shankar.
Meanwhile, the DUTA has called for an indefinite strike from December 4, against varsity's decision to appoint guest faculties for full-time posts.
