DUTA protests against varsity's provision to have 10 pc permanent positions as contractual appointments

The Delhi University Teachers' Association Friday protested outside the vice chancellor's office against the varsity's provision to have 10 per cent of permanent positions as contractual appointments.

The protest was "against the total apathy of the varsity administration towards teachers who are waiting for their promotion for more than a decade," the DUTA said.

It said contractual jobs of any kind was unacceptable as thousands of young teachers are already working in "extremely exploitative and uncertain conditions".

Our protest is to highlight the issues related to denial of promotion to more than 2,500 teachers, the DUTA said.

It demanded that the matter be discussed in the Executive Council of the varsity.

The other demands are the inclusion of Physical Education as a teaching discipline (as recognised in the UGC Regulations), the fulfilling of the promise made by the VC to make provision for one month's maternity leave to ad-hoc teachers and the decision regarding immediate disbursal of revised pension to the retired teachers, it said.

The DUTA alleged that the varsity had been converted into a fortress with the presence of police and the Rapid Action Force.

"Instead of resolving the issues of teachers which have been pending for years, the administration has resorted to such means revealing their indifference to the plight of all sections of teachers," it said.

Meanwhile, sources said an Executive Council meeting was held in the afternoon where some members moved a resolution against the use of police force against the protesting teachers, alleging that it was done at the behest of the varsity administration.

A discussion ensued on it for three hours and later the issue of having 10 per cent permanent positions as contractual appointments was taken up for discussion, they said.

The Academic Council had on Wednesday passed the proposal to have 10 per cent of permanent positions as contractual appointments despite opposition from certain members, the sources claimed.

In a statement, the varsity appealed to its members to maintain peace and harmony.

"University of Delhi strongly believes in freedom of speech and expression. The university appeals to all members in various departments/colleges/institutes to maintain peace and harmony during the course of exercising their freedom of speech and expression," it said.

Meanwhile, police said the protesting teachers tried to scale barricades and they had to resort to the use of mild force to control the situation.