UGC asks DU to reinstate ad hoc teachers to meet crisis

The University Grants Commission has asked the Delhi University to reinstate ad hoc teachers who fulfil the minimum eligibility criteria in order to meet the shortage of teachers in colleges under the university.
In a letter written by UGC Secretary Jaspal Singh Sandhu, all DU colleges have been directed to engage such temporary teachers who fulfil the minimum eligibility criteria and were employed in the last financial year with the university.
It has been brought to the notice of UGC that the colleges are facing a serious shortage of teachers, the letter said.
According to a report by the HRD ministry, out of 1706 teaching posts in various colleges of University, 902 are lying vacant.

"In order to overcome this crisis, the colleges may re-engage those ad hoc teachers who fulfil the conditions of minimum eligibility as laid down by the UGC and were employed with the university during the last financial year," the letter said.
The crisis comes at a time when the new academic session has just started and the University is moving to the three-year undergraduate course from the FYUP, the UGC said.

The step to reinstate the ad hoc teachers has been taken so that the colleges can run smoothly in this new academic session, it said.
Against the sanctioned teaching posts of 16,692 in 39 central universities, 6,251 are lying vacant, which is close to 40 percent of total seats, HRD Minister Smriti Irani had informed the Parliament this week.

In Jawaharlal Nehru University, there are 286 teaching posts not being filled as of March 31 this year out of the total strength of 809.
Among all central varsities, out of 2316 posts for professors 1244 are vacant, of 4593 associate professor posts 2165 are vacant and of 9194 assistant professor posts 2769 are vacant besides 73 other vacancies, she said replying to a question.