In a first, DUTA election to see ad hoc teachers in the fray

The Delhi University Teachers’ Association (DUTA) elections, scheduled to take place on Friday, will see ad hoc teachers, who have formed a forum to voice their long-pending demand for absorption, in the fray for the first time. There are around 5,000 ad hoc teachers at Delhi University.

Shabana Azmi, an ad hoc political science teacher at Zakir Hussain College for nearly a decade who will contest the elections from the Adhoc Teachers’ Forum (ATF), said that the elections were historic as ad hoc teachers had formed a front for the first time.

“Interviews for ad hoc teachers have not taken place at the university for around a decade. Even if some interviews have been conducted, only 500-600 positions have been filled whereas around 5,000 positions are lying vacant. Whenever interviews take place, ad hoc teachers who have been working for many years are displaced and replaced with new faces,” said Azmi.

She added that her candidature was also borne out of the fact that other teacher groups had not done anything to fight for the rights of ad hoc teachers. “Ad hoc teachers don’t even get maternity leave. When such basic rights have not been secured to date, it becomes imperative that we fight for our rights and job,” said Azmi.

She said that until now, ad hoc teachers had been reluctant about contesting elections since they were vulnerable and did not have permanent jobs. “Our jobs can be taken away at the drop of a hat if we raise our voice. I wanted to change this. Why should we not stand for elections if our rights are being denied? I teach terms such as justice, equality and liberty but our own rights are being denied. Our forum will seek to address the denial of rights of ad hoc teachers in the university,” said Azmi.

She said that the foremost focus of the ATF will be to pressure the government and administration to implement the December 5, 2019, letter note of discussion that suggests relaxations in screening criteria. “We will put pressure on the government and the administration to implement the December 5 letter. As per the letter, ad hoc teachers need to be given relaxation in any screening criteria. The fights for absorption will be the major agenda for which we are contesting elections,” said Azmi.

Pankaj Garg, convener of the Indian National Teachers’ Congress (INTEC), and former Academic Council member, said that it was for the first time that an ad hoc teacher was contesting for the DUTA presidential post.

Garg said that ad hoc teachers were as good as permanent teachers but were suffering due to denial of the same rights. “The promotions of ad hoc teachers have been pending for the past 10 years. The permanency of teachers is also a major issue for the university,” said Garg.