On Monday, Delhi University students and teachers came together to protest against the delay in the appointment of the next the HOD in the Department of Hindi after it was vacated. Besides, the procedure of appointment of professor Sheoraj Singh Bechain has already been completed but he has not been appointed yet. Since he is a renowned professor of Dalit Literature, DU has been alleged of discriminating professors based on caste.
The post of Head of the Department in Departement of Hindi was vacant as early as September 12. It is going to be a month since then but the Hindi Departement is still waiting for their HOD. According to the teachers and students, on the same day when the previous HOD vacated, the VC had consulted with him and completed all the formalities of appointing new HOD. Professor Sheoraaj Singh Bechain, a Dalit professor and renowned in the fields of anti-caste and Dalit Literature was deemed to be the next HOD. In spite of the fact that all the procedures of his appointment was completed, there is no announcement or communication made to the Department about his appointment. A memorandum and a letter were also addressed to the VC office but no action has been taken yet.
Prof. Sheoraj Singh Bechain, one of the few Dalit Professors in DU, has been awarded by the Hindi Academy of both Madhya Pradesh and Delhi Government. Yet, the delay in his appointment as the HOD when he is the prospective appointee is unexplained and has attracted many questions and criticism. It pulls attention to the fact that in the last 70 years, no Dalit professor has been appointed as a faculty in DU.
Consequently, the teachers and students of DU have took to protest against the discriminationatory practices of the University and its irresponsibility in delaying the appointment of an HOD in the University. They staryed the protest march from Arts Faculty to the VC office with the demand of appointing Prof. Bechain as per the seniority clauses.
