Delhi University notifies maternity leave for ad hoc, contractual staff

“The Executive Council…approved the recommendations of the Committee constituted in compliance of the UGC letter…dated September 12, 2012 regarding grant of Maternity Benefit as per provision of Maternity Benefit Act (Amendment) 2017 to Ad hoc/contractual staff of the university and its colleges,” Registrar Vikas Gupta said in a notification dated January 4.

“Accordingly, paid maternity leave may be granted to such Ad hoc/contractual women teaching and non-teaching employees engaged for a fixed term by the University/Colleges for a maximum period of 26 weeks within the period of such fixed term engagement. Further, in line with the letter from the UGC to the University dated September 12, 2018, the eligibility for maternity leave may be made available for women with less than two surviving children,” he said.

The notification said it was “further resolved that the implementation of the benefits of maternity leave would not put Ad hoc/contractual staff of the university and its colleges to a disadvantageous position”.

The long-standing demand of the DU Teachers’ Association was brought to fruition following the report submitted by a five-member committee under Prof Dr Kamala Shankaran of Campus Law Centre, Faculty of Law, constituted in January last year to decide on the matter.

According to the report submitted by the panel, “recognising the fact that availing maternity leave is a basic and vital necessity for the physical and emotional well-being of the mother and the child, the committee recommends that paid maternity leave be granted to ad hoc/contractual women teaching and non-teaching employees working in the university/colleges of the university”.