Higher Education Secretary Amit Khare recently said that the HRD Ministry has asked the Delhi University to resolve the problems faced by ad-hoc teachers and also fill up the vacant positions in the varsity. He added that he had a detailed discussion with DU Vice-Chancellor S K Tyagi on both these key matters. While DU Teachers' Association (DUTA) welcomed the bureaucrat's comments, they stressed on that fact that that there needs to be some action taken on these assertions soon. "There has been no concrete developments yet. The only thing that has happened in these three months, since the December 5 meeting at the MHRD is that the teachers have been given option forms (to choose which UGC regulation they would choose to be promoted under)," said DUTA President Rajib Ray.
The ad-hoc or temporary teachers of DU have been demanding that they are absorbed permanently and their tenure as ad-hoc teachers be counted as part of their total service. Khare also asserted that teachers are the backbone of any education system and while working for quality education the challenges faced by the teaching community too need to be resolved.
DUTA Secretary Rajinder Singh said that the MHRD and UGC have said things like these in the past as well but in vain — nothing has changed. "The Secretary says that he spoke to the VC but Dr Tyagi has not taken any steps to resolve the issues faced by the ad-hoc teachers or about the promotions of the existing teachers," said Singh. "All we got is a one-page option form which does not give us the details of the 2010 or 2018 regulations which would help us choose. What is the point of it then?" asked the DUTA Secretary.
Khare has met Tyagi and other officials from the university aiming to resolve the matter, claimed the Higher Education Secretary. The ministry had earlier offered a one-time relief to allow all ad-hoc teachers of Delhi University to appear for interviews of permanent positions and DU to let the ad-hoc teachers continue in their positions. The university was also directed to let ad-hoc teachers continue in their positions till permanent positions are filled. But the teachers say that the VC has not met the DUTA after December 5, neither has any step been taken.
