The Delhi High Court has issued a notice in response to a petition contesting the recruitment of contract teachers in universities on the basis of the University Grants Commission Regulations, 2018.
Saurav Narayan, the petitioner, claims that universities, notably Delhi University (DU), are breaking the rules by recruiting teachers on an ad-hoc basis even when permanent teaching staff positions are available, IANS reports.
The petition's core argument is that Clause 13 of the University Grants Commission (Minimum Qualifications for Appointment of Teachers and Other Academic Staff in Universities and Colleges and Other Measures for the Maintenance of Standards in Higher Education) Regulations, 2018, should be strictly enforced.
This paragraph states that contract teachers should only be hired when it is necessary.
The petitioner points towards data available on the Delhi University's website, according to which only 129 of 287 sanctioned posts for teaching personnel on a permanent/regular basis are occupied. He further adds that this is especially the case with the Faculty of Law at the university.
Approximately 35% of teachers (Guest Faculty) were hired on a contract/temporary basis in October 2023 alone, in violation of the UGC Regulations, 2018, the petitioner says.
The petitioner references the Union of India's response to a Lok Sabha question, which reveals 900 teaching vacancies at Delhi University as of April 1, 2022.
Furthermore, a Supreme Court observation emphasises concerns that institutions such as National Law Universities rely overly on contractual teachers.
The petitioner claims that no action was taken despite making two representations on the subject prior to filing the case. Instead, on October 11, 2023, Delhi University posted 70 jobs for Guest Faculty in the Faculty of Law.
Justice Subramonium Prasad has scheduled the next hearing for March 13, 2024.
