Delhi University has issued a notification stating that its affiliated colleges can now appoint teachers even if they do not have a regular principal. This is a departure from its earlier direction forbidding its 32 colleges from making teaching staff appointments while the principal's post lies vacant.
According to a report by PTI, the notification states that DU has "reviewed" its previous directive "in the larger interest of the students". This order had been passed on May 18 by the University's Assistant Registrar to the college governing bodies and had said that the appointment of teaching and non-teaching posts should not be allowed either on a contract, ad hoc, or even regular basis until they get a regular principal.
This order had invited backlash and the DU's Academics for Action and Development had then written to Vice-Chancellor Yogesh Singh, urging him to "review" the suspension. Teachers have long been demanding that the university fill up vacancies in the teaching staff. The May 18 directive led to teachers, including members of the Executive Council and the Academic Council, to point out that several colleges were already short-staffed and the directive would adversely affect the quality of the teaching-learning process. They had asserted that the delay in the permanent appointments of principals due to extraneous reasons must not impair education.
In the fresh notification issued a couple of days ago, DU said, "It has now been decided that the College(s)/Institution(s), wherever the Acting/Officiating Principal(s) are in position may go ahead in advertising the teaching posts only in various disciplines in the larger interests of the students."
