Despite letter by UGC to stop recruiting teachers, varsity going ahead with hiring

Hire and fire: is the DU breaking rules?

Despite letter by UGC to stop recruiting teachers, varsity going ahead with hiring

A serious issue of indiscipline is plaguing Delhi University. However, instead of students being the culprit, it's the varsity that is being questioned this time.

Despite an order issued by the University Grants Commission (UGC) asking universities to not recruit teachers till regulations for hiring are modified, the Delhi University (DU) is rapidly hiring teachers.u00a0u00a0

In the second week of October 2009, UGC sent a letter to DU requesting it not to fill up the posts of professors, associate professors and assistant professors in the varsity as per the old regulations. The letter said, "UGC's regulations on qualifications for these posts are yet to be notified. You are advised to fill up all the teaching position only after issuance of new regulations. As per advertisement, the university proposes to give higher pay with old rules relating to qualification and experience."

A DU professor, wishing anonymity, said, "The recruitment process is already over for several departments such as History, Mathematics and Chemistry. The process is over for professors and associate professors for the Hindi department too. The interview for the post of assistant professors in Hindi department is scheduled for January 20 and 21."

In December 2008, the Ministry of Human Resources Development issued a notification about the pay scale revision for university teachers. At the same time, the ministry also said that UGC will frame new guidelines for teachers' qualification and promotion.

UGC Secretary RK Chauhan said, "UGC's new rules will be formed soon. A meeting in this regard was held on January 16. If a university appoints anyone according to the old rules and allows him to draw salary according to the new pay scale, it is not justified. The university is supposed to recruit teachers based on the new rules in order for them to avail the new pay scale."

The vacancy for various posts by in DU was advertised in May and July, 2009.

"The post of reader has been replaced by associate professor. The minimum experience required for readers was five years and pay scale was around Rs 15,000. But the experience required for the post of an associate professor is eight years and the pay, Rs 37,000 per month. Now the university is recruiting people according to the old rule, that is those who have a minimum of five years of experience but looking forward to pay them a higher salary on the new pay scale," the DU professor said.

Meanwhile, DU Vice Chancellor Deepak Pental couldn't be contacted despite repeated attempts.

An NGO called Chanakya Shaikshik Committee is planning to file a case against DU regarding the issue of hiring teachers in the Delhi High Court.