E-Paper
DU student union calls for early end to ad-hoc teacher crisis
New Delhi
New Delhi
The Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) on Monday appealed to stakeholders of the ongoing ad-hoc teacher crisis to settle the dispute and ensure academic activities are not affected.
The matters revolves around an August 28 letter issued by the varsity, which states that colleges can “appoint guest teachers for substantive vacancies arising for the first time in the current academic session”. The existing norm in DU is filling vacant posts using ad-hoc teachers who are given fixed monthly stipends and are hired on a contractual basis, for four months.
The uncertainty among ad-hoc teachers worsened after Delhi University Principals’ Association (DUPA) on Saturday decided to put salaries and appointments of around 4,500 teachers in abeyance till they received clarification from the vice-chancellor in its implementation.
Reacting to the development, Delhi University Teachers’ Association (DUTA) has threatened to launch an indefinite strike from Wednesday. It had earlier called for an evaluation boycott from January. Till Monday, several colleges had issued notices putting ad-hoc appointments in abeyance pending clarification.
“We would not allow the delay or cancellation of semester exams at any cost. We sympathise with the issue and demand that adhoc teachers continue their service. VC must find a solution to this or be ready to face aggression from student community,” DUSU said in its statement.
DUSU president Akshat Dahiya said, “If 4,500 teachers don’t come for the exams, who will carry out the invigilation? Even if they get non-teaching staff for invigilation, who will check the papers? If the university has to get externals for checking, it would be an additional financial burden.”
A senior DU official said the university had specified that it was talking about new vacancies in the August 28 letter and said nothing about the ad-hoc teachers who had been working at the varsity for years.
On Monday night, the Registrar issued a statement, saying senior officials of the university had met DUTA and DUPA representatives on December 1. “Officials clarified DU’s stand about the payment of salary to the teachers and requested the respective office bearers that they must allay any rumour being floated in the public domain on this count.”
The varsity also asked concerned stakeholders “to accord highest priority to the students’ interest and ensure that there is no disruption in the ongoing examination and evaluation”. It added that the varsity had also asked all colleges to complete the process of recruitment of permanent faculty at the earliest.
