The Delhi University Principals Association’s (DUPA) move to put on hold the appointment of ad hoc teachers is being undertaken due to the “active connivance of certain influential college principals”, alleged Academic Council member Saikat Ghosh.
In a letter to the Vice-Chancellor, the DUPA said it had decided to put in abeyance the appointment of ad hoc teachers until such time as the university makes certain clarifications regarding its directive to appoint guest teachers against new vacancies arising in the current session.
These include whether the post of an ad hoc teacher resigning in the current academic session must be treated as a new vacancy or not, whether ad hoc appointments made even after the university’s directive may be retained and as to whether new appointees of a “higher order” are to be considered compared to existing appointees of a “lower order”.
‘Go beyond the brief’
In putting a halt to the renewal letters of serving ad hoc teachers and their salaries, the DUPA had been persuaded to go beyond the brief of the university directive, Mr. Ghosh argued.
The principal’s association's decision was a betrayal of the teacher’s movement at a crucial time when the Delhi University Teachers’ Association (DUTA) was fighting to get permanent appointments and promotions started, he added. Manoj Kumar of the ad hoc absorption front said the principal’s association had applied a twisted interpretation of the university’s directive in a letter dated August 28 to serve its purpose.
Responding to the decision of the principal’s association, the DUTA in a letter to the V-C, warned that it would go on an indefinite strike if its demands were not met within three days' time, chief among which was the withdrawal of the original university directive to appoint guest teachers.
