Protests erupted outside Delhi University’s Hindu College after news of Samarveer Singh’s demise spread on the North Campus. Students mourned the loss of their lecturer and raised slogans against the apathy of the administration.
Those assembled in solidarity said the tragic incident highlighted the plight of those who had devoted years of service to DU colleges only to be displaced unceremoniously.
Several teachers said colleagues with experience of more than 10-20 years have been “thrown out” of their jobs after sitting through interviews that did not last more than two minutes. They claimed that three-fourth of the ad hoc teachers were not absorbed in the recent rounds of interviews for permanent positions. According to an unofficial count maintained by them via peer networks, 465 out of 615 ad hoc teachers who were interviewed for permanent posts until April 8 have lost their job.
‘It’s tiring’
Among those in attendance was a 36-year-old history teacher who lost his ad hoc post at DU recently and now teaches as a guest faculty. “If you are replaced by good candidates, it doesn’t hurt as much. None of them are qualified enough,” the teacher said.
Another 37-year-old lecturer of history, who had taught at Ramjas College since 2013 and is now awaiting results of interviews she had recently taken across colleges, echoed similar sentiments. “It’s tiring, both mentally and physically. A person has been working for so many years and then somebody with less experience takes away the role,” the teacher said. “We’re only surviving on savings... no pension, leaves, sabbaticals, medical facilities, maternity leaves.”
Uma Gupta, co-convener of Delhi Teachers’ Initiative, demanded that interviews be conducted across colleges soon and all ad hoc teachers regularised. Democratic Teachers’ Front president Nandita Narain was more scathing. “How many more Samarveers will be extinguished as victims of displacement at DU?” she said, adding that his death was no less than an “institutional murder” and those responsible “must be booked”.
“It is extremely unfortunate that in college after college, hundreds of such accomplished, young and promising teachers have been thrown out of the system in order to further nepotism that is aligned with the ruling party,” said the president of the Left-backed teachers’ body.
Earlier, DU Registrar Vikas Gupta said that the process of selecting permanent teachers was being implemented according to the university rules. “It is not a question of displacement. The best candidate is getting selected,” he said.
