Delhi University: After funds, Colleges Await Release of Sanctioned Posts

Weeks after the University Grants Commission released funds under second tranche for Economically Weaker Section (EWS) expansion, colleges of the Delhi University hope their demands for addition of the posts which were granted will be fulfilled in the scheduled meet of principals with UGC on Monday, July 29. The UGC has now invited principals of DU colleges on July 29 and 30 to present before an expert committee their requirements for approval of second tranche of posts towards OBC expansion.

A document of Planning Division of the Delhi University suggests that it still needs 1,279 posts to be released. Under the OBC expansion, UGC had sanctioned 2,561 posts of which only 1,282 seats were filled in the first tranche and recruitment for remaining teaching positions were postponed.

College Principals now expect that the posts will be released soon after their representations. However, they remained tight-lipped over the responses from the commission. Inderjit Singh Bakshi, Principal, Dyal Singh College told NewsClick, "We were told to make our presentations regarding existing and required work strength. Now, it's all up to them how they treat our demands and grant us the posts." The college currently needs 42 more seats. Another college principal requesting anonymity said, “Although I will be meeting the UGC officials tomorrow, I believe that the posts for teachers must be released earliest. It's been almost 10 years. OBC reservation was implemented in 2007. How much longer do they expect us to wait?"

The impending shortage of teachers have started taking a toll on the overall health of the university. The teachers maintain that a series of expansions were introduced in the universities across the country but their demands for infrastructure expansion along with increase in number of teachers was never entertained.

Also read: EWS Expansion: Uncertainty Ahead of 4,500 Ad-hoc Teachers at DU

Delhi University Teachers' Association (DUTA) alleged that funds are inadequate and reminded that half the promised teaching posts under OBC expansion which was completed in three phases between 2007 and 2010 are yet to be released to the colleges.

Rudrashish Chakravarty, former Academic Council member, who represented DUTA in the meet, told NewsClick, “First we saw OBC expansion. Then, Choice Based Credit System and now, EWS expansion. The numbers of students are only increasing whereas the recruitments remain constant and more teachers have retired as well. The net result is our classes are crammed with students whom we are failing. They come from diverse backgrounds and the tutorials were introduced to bring them at par with other students from metropolitan cities. With the crunch of teachers, the tutorials are now being compromised. What will they learn in this atmosphere?”

Echoing similar sentiments, Abha Dev Habib said, “OBC expansion of 54% for student intake was completed by 2010. However, only half the promised teaching posts were released to colleges. Subsequently, Choice Based Credit System was  implemented in 2015, which further increased teaching load but no new posts were released for the same. Colleges today have adverse student-teacher ratio and are dealing with overcrowded class rooms and labs, large tutorial sizes and extra teaching hours for faculty members."

She added,"Because of DUTA's repeated representations, the UGC is once again talking about Second Tranche posts. Colleges have been asked to make presentations on July 29. Five minutes  PPT presentations should not be used to decide the outcome - remaining posts should be released urgently."