Now trouble in Delhi University: DU teachers protest demanding absorption of ad-hoc teachers  

Scores of professors and ad-hoc teachers of Delhi University on Wednesday registered their protest against the Vice-Chancellor, demanding the appointment, absorption and promotion of ad-hoc teachers.

The teaching staff of the university broke through the gates of the main hall of Delhi University, which stand in proximity to the Vice-Chancellor Yogesh Tyagi's chamber, as they raised slogans against him.

They alleged that the VC has failed to take any action on the agitating teachers' demands.

"We have been demanding that the circular issued on August 28 be rolled back immediately as it stops ad-hoc teachers' appointment but the administration has paid no attention to our demands," Rajesh Jha, a professor in the university, said.

The strike was called by the Delhi University Teachers' Association (DUTA) against the August 28 DU circular which mandates that only appointment of guest teachers can be made against substantive vacancies arising for the first time in the current academic session.

However, the members of DUTA on Wednesday also demanded that the varsity should count a professor's experience as an ad-hoc teacher while giving promotion along with the creation of new vacancies to appoint teachers through the EWS quota.

"Apart from the rollback of August 28 circular, the administration must also make sure that the ad-hoc teachers are absorbed in the colleges and their experience as ad-hoc must be counted in the calculation of promotion," Jha added.

The strike might affect the ongoing examinations in the varsity as the DUTA has also urged all teachers to stay away from exam duties.

The DUTA also wrote letters to the University Grants Commission (UGC) and the HRD Ministry on Tuesday to intervene immediately to end the crisis which has emerged due to a letter issued by the university.

It also urged the teachers to stay away from invigilation, evaluation and any other official duties.

"Superintendents and Deputy Superintendents are urged to tender resignations and relieve themselves from all duties related to the conduct of the examinations. Similarly, CEC coordinators/in charges should tender their resignations," the DUTA said.

Colleagues are, however, requested not to stop students from taking exams, it added.

The DUTA had announced on Tuesday that it will organise a massive protest and gherao the vice-chancellor. It also urged staff associations to ensure that teachers stay away from invigilation duties.

"DUTA teams along with staff associations will ensure evaluation boycott. DUTA teams will also meet principals of colleges who have kept renewal of ad-hoc teachers' tenure in abeyance and have not released salaries," it said.