With the scrapping of the four-year undergraduate programme (FYUP) by Delhi University, it is not just students but even ad hoc teachers who are facing the brunt of the rollback.
Following the rollback, many colleges are either contemplating doing away with services of ad hoc teachers or have already sacked ad-hoc teachers who were recruited for teaching foundation and new honours courses that were introduced under FYUP.
?Science colleges had to recruit ad hoc teachers to teach foundation courses in subjects like history. Similarly non-science colleges hired teachers for FC?s like Life and Science and Mathematical Ability. But with DU scrapping FYUP, ad-hoc teachers like me, who have been teaching at DU for many years, have been sacked,? Savita Jha Khan, a history professor who lost her job recently said.
?There are around 9,000 teachers in DU. Out of this 5,000 are working on ad hoc basis since no permanent teacher appointments have been made in the last few years. With colleges switching to the three-year format, workload will be greatly reduced and there will be no requirement for these teachers anymore,? Rajesh Jha, a senior professor of Political Science, Rajdhani College said.
According to S P Agarwal, principal of Ramanujan College, most colleges will be forced to do away with services of atleast eight to ten ad hoc teachers. ?There is no doubt that several teachers will lose their jobs, especially those who were engaged to teach FC?s. But we can?t help it. What will we do with the teachers if there is no work for them?? Agarwal said.
?To be honest, we don?t know what to do with permanent teachers either. We had recruited permanent teachers for five new honours courses introduced in the college under FYUP. As these courses are now scrapped, where do I place these teachers?? Agarwal asked.
Following the FYUP rollback , the university is now in the process of re-structuring the programme. ?Colleges will only be able to ascertain the exact workload and teacher requirement after it receives clear directions from the university on course structure. But it can be ascertained that some teachers will be asked not to join when the academic session begins on July 21,? S K Sharma, principal, Motilal Nehru College, said.
?I was recruited in a non-science college to teach the life and sciences FC. But now there is no space for me in the college. I can?t even ask the college to retain me, because it is pointless…I now have to look for other options,? Dr Manisha, ad hoc Chemistry teacher at Vivekanand college, said.
?Ad hocs are recruited for a particular time, after which conventionally their services get extended. But with the rollback and their contract expiring in May, we feel no need to renew all contracts,? principal of a prominent North Campus college told Newsline.
However, DUTA President Nandita Narain said if colleges apply ?creative ways? they can still retain most teachers. ? Those who were appointed for the science and life paper can be hired by other college to teach DC-II subjects. Botany and Zoology teachers have to teach the compulsory EVS paper, so their jobs are secure. Teachers can also be appointed for the programme courses,? Narain said.
