The fabled Delhi University that takes pride in upholding itself as one of the premier educational establishments of India, has been reeling under a shortage of teachers over the past few years. The dire need of teachers needs to be addressed with immediate effect and the authorities are entirely aware of the fact and working towards the fulfilment of the same with zeal.
The prolonged waiting period for the appointment of new permanent teachers was initiated way back in the year 2007. Currently as many as 4000 teaching posts lie vacant across many colleges and departments across the entire dominion of Delhi University. The allocation of the aforesaid posts has been persistently delayed over the time period.
The university has finally agreed and affirmed its intent on inducting teachers but only with compliance with the recent UGC regulatory gazetted notice regarding the appointment of teachers in higher education. The teachers have raised their voice against this move as they feel that UGC’s directive is anti-teacher in nature that will harm the interests of individuals involved with the profession.
UGC has said in its regulatory notice that a certain standard needs to be maintained while inducting teachers and academic staff in colleges and universities in order to preserve and maintain the standards of higher education. Delhi University’s intends to table the aforesaid recommendation before the academic council on 16th August and subsequently before the executive council on 17th August.
The teachers have protested against the ramifications that may spiral out due to the faulty implementation of the UGC directive. They feel that the university is not implementing the entirety of the directive and contains many lapses that may lead to consequences that can have far reaching consequences.
Teachers fear that the academic council meeting scheduled for 16th August will cause drastic changes to the original UGC directive and may be tweaked on grounds that may be immoral and unwanted. The agenda of the meeting hasn’t mentioned any clause regarding the selection committee for assistant professors which ironically is in fact appointed by the same council.
Questions are being raised on how the registrar issued the entire appointment procedural schedule as much as two months ago without getting the go ahead from the academic council or executive council. “The letter received from the registrar two months back talked about the initiation of the appointment process though it did not have the required ratifications it needs to have,” said J Khuntia, president of Academics for Action and Development.
Sources however said that the EC agenda includes the selection committee matter which is scheduled to be tabled on 17th August. The principal’s post is scheduled to become a term post which in fact was long desired move that lay on the anvil. DU though does not intend to bring up this matter in the agenda.
Another move that has not gone down well among the teaching ranks is the decision of not taking into account the past service and tenure of ad-hoc teachers while awarding them promotion to permanent status. “Temporary teachers will be deprived of their rightful benefits which they deserve if the UGC norms are enacted,” said a teacher of Satyawati College.
Tags:
