The Delhi University Teachers' Association (DUTA) staged a demonstration outside the Vice-Chancellor's office in the university, demanding that all the existing ad-hoc and temporary teachers in the university be absorbed for regular duties. They protested on June 24, Friday.
Several teachers from the varsity participated in the protest. And they also urged the DUTA leadership to launch action programmes regarding the issue at the Ministry of Education, University Grants Commission (UGC) and even at the Parliament to demand one-time regulation for absorption of the teachers, as reported by PTI.
DUTA president AK Bhagi stressed on the need for the absorption of these ad-hoc and temporary teachers, demanding that a bill or regulation be brought in the Parliament to absorb them. He said, "Ad-hoc teachers are working in colleges for several years but they cannot continue as ad-hoc teachers for their entire lives. Now they do not see any hope for their absorption and there is always a fear of displacement."
The protest comes in the backdrop of scheduled interviews for the appointment of an assistant professor in Mathematics by the varsity's Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Khalsa College. This move has drawn flak from a section of teachers who are demanding that ad-hoc teachers should be accommodated first, instead of hiring new teachers.
The issue, however, dates back to February, when DUTA had submitted a petition in February to President Ram Nath Kovind, seeking his intervention for the absorption of 4,500 ad-hoc and temporary professors working in the varsity.
"With over 4,500 teachers working on ad-hoc basis, who have given their best years to DU colleges, their displacement should not and will not be tolerated. I urged DUTA to continue protest for the rights of teachers and we will come out in full support," said Miranda House Professor and DUTA Secretary, Abha Dev Habib.
