DU allows colleges to hire teaching staff sans regular principal, says move in students' interest

NEW DELHI: The Delhi University has informed its 32 colleges that they are free to appoint teachers even if they do not have a "regular principal", a turnaround from its earlier missive to not make fresh appointments without a permanent head teacher. In a notification dated August 31, DU said it has "reviewed" its previous directive "in the larger interest of the students".

The university's assistant registrar, in a letter dated May 18 to the college governing bodies, had said the appointment of teaching and non-teaching posts should not be allowed either on a contract, ad hoc or even regular basis until they get a regular principal. Seven teachers of DU's Academics for Action and Development had then written to Vice Chancellor Yogesh Singh, urging him to "review" the suspension. The teachers, including the members of the academic council and executive council, had said several colleges were already short-staffed and the directive would adversely affect the quality of the teaching-learning process. They had asserted that the delay in the permanent appointments of principals due to extraneous reasons must not impair education.

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In the fresh notification issued a couple of days ago, DU said, "It has now been decided that the College(s)/Institution(s), wherever the Acting/Officiating Principal(s) are in position may go ahead in advertising the teaching posts only in various disciplines in the larger interests of the students."