IMPERMANENT STAFF

What does having thousands of ad hoc appointments mean for a public university, its teachers and students?

- Pritha Roy Choudhury

In 2013, Rakesh and his wife joined Delhi University as ad hoc teachers to gain experience before trying for a permanent post. Seven years later, they still continue to work on ad hoc basis. “We thought we would become permanent soon, but no interviews have been held for the last 10 to 12 years,” says Rakesh.

They are just two among thousands working in the university as ad hoc teachers and they have been a near-permanent feature of Delhi University for more than a decade. And for the past three months, they have been on protest outside the Vice-Chancellor’s office, demanding “absorption” into the university system as permanent teachers.

Recruitment against permanent vacancies has been negligible during this period. In the last round of permanent appointments, made in 2015-16, just around 700 teachers were recruited against over 5,000 vacancies. On February 29, Amit Khare, Secretary, Ministry of Human Resource Development, speaking at a DU college, said he has had “detailed discussions” with the DU VC and asked him to take steps to fill up the vacancies at the earliest. However, he did not elaborate on these steps.

Permanent, ad hoc, guest

Delhi University has around 12,000 teaching posts of teachers in its various colleges and centres. The DUTA estimates there are around 5,000 ad hoc teachers in the university.