The Delhi University Teachers’ Association (DUTA) on Monday demanded a one-time regulation for the absorption of ad-hoc teachers at the university. The teachers’ body said there were around 4,500 ad hoc teachers currently in the varsity.
Stating that the indefinite nature of ad-hoc service was in violation of relevant guidelines of the university, the DUTA said: “The service conditions are discriminatory and exploitative despite fulfilling all requisite academic qualifications and contributing to the academic and the corporate growth of the university in the same way as their permanent colleagues. It is an extremely unfortunate situation and a denial of their basic rights to a dignified life.”
In a letter to Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, the DUTA said a statement made in the Lok Sabha about the number of ad-hoc teachers in the university was “inaccurate”.
“It is really shocking that the annexure states that there are 58 ad hoc teachers in the University of Delhi as on April 1, 2021. This is far from the reality — close to 4,500 teachers are working ad-hoc basis in DU with the number increasing every day as no recruitment have taken place for more than ten years now and with many teachers superannuating in the meantime. Though these these teachers perform the same duties as their permanent colleagues, they have been denied basic rights to a dignified life,” read the letter to the Minister.
DUTA President Rajib Ray said specific regulations should be framed, which permits the regularisation of serving temporary or ad-hoc teachers on permanent basis through a one-time absorption. “Absorption of serving ad hoc and temporary teachers is the only way in which posts can be filled ion a permanent basis at such a large scale in a short period,” said Mr. Ray.