DU teachers allege 'discrepancies' in allocation of teaching positions under reserved category at IPCW

NEW DELHI: Delhi University teachers have written to Vice Chancellor Yogesh Singh citing "discrepancies" in the allocation of teaching positions under reserved categories at the Indraprastha College for Women, alleging that the roster has been twisted in such a way that three ST positions have "lapsed" in different departments.

In the letter to the VC, as many as 10 teachers claimed there was only a single vacancy for the Scheduled Tribes (ST) in the IPCW's commerce department in 2019, which has come down to zero this year. A similar trend has been noticed in the Economics department as well. Teachers, including academic council members, have urged Singh to take appropriate action in the matter. The IPCW Principal Poonam Kumaria did not respond to calls from PTI.

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"We would like to let you know about the various discrepancies that have been time and again prevalent in the allocation of teaching positions in the colleges of Delhi University. It is a harsh reality of the current times where we see the various efforts done by administrators to oversee the category section in the context of recruitment blindly.

“We would like to bring to your notice that there has been constant negligence of category positions in the allotment of vacancies (at Indraprastha College for Women). It can be seen that the Commerce vacancy for ST was 1 in 2019 and 0 positions in 2023, Economics 1 ST position in 2019 and ST reduced to 0 in 2023," the letter read.

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The roster has been twisted in such a way that three positions of Scheduled Tribe (ST) in different departments have lapsed, the teachers alleged. "It is sad to see the current state of biases when it comes to the allotment of vacancies in various departments. It is a serious issue of negligence of the reserved categories where most of these issues in various colleges remain unnoticed," the teachers said.

"It is our humble and honest appeal to please look into the matter at the earliest. Otherwise, we are bound to fail in our mission to be an inclusive institution. We request you to take appropriate action on an urgent basis," they added. Meanwhile, in a separate incident, a teacher at Swami Shraddhanand College (SNN) resigned as the teacher-in-charge of the zoology department, protesting the displacement of ad-hoc faculties.

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Prof SK Sagar in his resignation letter to governing body chairman of SSN college has alleged that it is very difficult to continue as the teacher in charge (TIC) amid the displacement of the ad-hoc faculties at the college. "...The displacement of the ad-hoc faculties was done by the college in the category of SC and ST in the interviews conducted from 11/05/2023 to 14/05/2023. They have been working for so many years and their contribution was highly appreciated," he wrote in the resignation letter.

"So I decided to resign as TIC of the zoology department considering it as highly unethical to remain in that position. I will however continue to perform my other duties academic or administrative as usual," she added.