On Friday the University of Delhi clarified that the ad hoc faculty can continue to teach until new appointments are assured. The clarification came at the direction of the HRD Ministry post receiving notices from three colleges of DU – Aryabhatta College, Lady Shri Ram College, and Keshav Mahavidyalaya. The core purpose of these notices was to either conclude or suggest the end of services of ad hoc teachers appointed this year. Colleges said that the step was taken in the absence of precise and certain orders from the administration of the Varsity.
“No direction has been issued by the university for termination of ad hoc teachers in respect of the colleges. College principals are responsible for any action taken by them,” said Tarun Kumar Das, the Registrar of Delhi University.
On December 5, the government in the wake of the protests by the Delhi University’s teachers asked the university to amend its August 28 circular and unambiguously state that ad hoc teachers can continue till permanent appointments are made.
As per the August 28 circular, DU advised colleges to “fill permanent vacancies at the earliest” and appoint guest faculties in the interim “against new vacancies arising for the first time in 2019-2020.” All this resulted in uncertainty over what these ‘new vacancies’ were. In addition to that, most of the DU colleges did not issue appointment letters to the ad hocs at the time of renewal of their 120-day contracts. Neither did they release their salaries. This consequently led to furious protests.
On Friday the DU’s order said “Colleges shall fill permanent vacancies in a timebound manner… if vacancies which have to be filled for maintaining smooth academic functioning of colleges/ institutions, ad hoc/temporary/ contract/guest faculty can be appointed till permanent faculty is recruited.”
However, the students and teachers both have and still are facing the hassles of the DU’s inflexible directions. The ongoing protests are just a way to put clear and loud to the University the actual intensity of the troubles and issues faced by the strugglers.All things said, a sooner and justified action still awaits.
