NEW DELHI: With appointments for permanent teaching positions currently underway across colleges in Delhi University, concerns about the conversion of existing ad hoc positions under the general category into EWS ones have been raised by many.
Thousands of ad hoc teachers, who have been teaching at the university for several years now, have been demanding absorption. Many questioned that if an existing position under the general category is converted into an EWS one, how will an ad hoc teacher, who has been teaching against the post, be retained.
Rajesh Jha, former member of DU’s executive council, explained, “The EWS reservation was to be applied prospectively. Technically, with the EWS expansion, student intake increased by 25%. However, colleges never got the corresponding amount of teaching posts. Even with the increased intake of students, we have not even received any extra funding for infrastructure.”
Stating that despite teaching at the university for years, almost 10% of the ad hoc teachers were now staring at job loss, Jha said, “Instead of creating extra posts for EWS, 10% of the general category seats have been converted into the same, which means that these seats are no longer with those who are in the general category. They are bound to get displaced. Where will such teachers go? The Centre is not even fulfilling its promises made in the December 5, 2019 letter.” In the letter, it was said UGC will consider “communicating the additional teaching positions to be created under the EWS scheme within 30 days.”
