DU Strike: MHRD officials to meet teachers association

NEW DELHI: The Ministry of Human Resource Development had invited the Delhi University Teachers’ Association office bearers at 4 pm on Thursday “for talks” about the ongoing teachers’ strike, said an association member. He added that the Vice Chancellor, Yogesh Kumar Tyagi, had informed them of the invitation at noon.

After the Delhi University Principals’ Association resolved to put the appointment of ad hoc teachers on hold last week, DU teachers launched an indefinite strike on Wednesday, boycotting exam and evaluation duty. With over 5,000 vacant teaching posts, DU’s colleges had appointed around 4,500 teachers on ad hoc basis.

The principals’ decision was taken citing the already-unpopular August 28 circular that directed colleges to appoint guest teachers instead of ad hoc teachers for “new vacancies” arising in the 2019-20 academic session.

Teachers' protest (Source: Twitter/JNUSU)

They broke into the premises of the Viceregal Lodge, which houses the offices of the DU Vice Chancellor and his team of registrars and deans, and surrounded the building. The administration and the officer-bearers of the DUTA held a six-hour meeting at night but failed to arrive at a solution.

Ad hoc teachers are appointed for several months at a time and participate in all aspects of a college’s academic life. Paid by the lecture, guest teachers are both more vulnerable and less accountable, argue teachers. Reappointment of ad hoc teachers as guest teachers is seen as a demotion for ad hoc teachers and also comes and also makes their financial situation more precarious.

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