The plight of Delhi University ad hoc teachers

Vaibhav Singh, a professor, calls the month of July 'butchering season'. For lakhs of students studying in Delhi University, July signifies beginning of a new session. But for thousands of DU's ad hoc teachers, it determines whether they will have work for the next 120 days.
The situation gets so dire that some like Singh, who was a Hindi professor at Khalsa college for four years, get so fed up that they decide to opt out of teaching at the University altogether. Currently a professor at Ambedkar University, the professor is more relieved than happy. "Ambedkar University is liberal, non hierarchical and innovative. In DU, especially for ad hoc teachers, things are exactly opposite. It is a stressful place where you aren't sure if you won't be fired the next day," Singh says.

Former ad hoc physics teacher at Dyal Singh college,

"My son got seriously ill & was suffering from high fever. But I wasn't allowed to take leaves. I had no option, but quit my job,"

While Singh decided to opt out of DU, most don't, choosing instead to bear sometimes shocking treatment at the hands of university officials in hope of securing a permanent teaching position. An ad hoc teacher who taught in the varsity for four years recalls, "Six months into my pregnancy, I was told that the workload has reduced and there is no vacancy. I tried applying to other colleges, but did not get anything constructive. Eight and a half months pregnant, stressed with the job hunt, totally burned out, I lost my baby. Doctors attributed the miscarriage to stress and exertion." The teacher still continues to look for a job on campus.

Sachinand Jha , English Professor at Rajdhani college.

I have been working as an ad hoc teacher since 2008. Ad hocs are not entitled to a leave of four days. I lost my father last year but even at a time like that couldn't spend time with my family. I had to get my salary deducted to get leaves,"

For many, the uncertainty of a pay cheque means families are reluctant to marry their daughters to male ad hoc professors, and those with families find it impossible to plan anything. Still, the lure of a plush government job filled with benefits means that many are okay with waiting, sometimes for years and decades on end. 

A case in point being a senior teacher from Shivaji college's Political Science Department who has been working as an ad hoc teacher for the last 12 years - time in which his son has grown big enough to join college. "He is still hopeful of getting permanent one day," a fellow teacher told DNA.

Meanwhile, the process to make ad hoc teachers permanent still remains in limbo, with the University having set up a three-member committee to look into the matter.
"With the fluctuating workload, contractualization is a reality. But the University really needs to speed up on appointments. Any delay will only worsens the teachers' vulnerable position," says Rajesh Jha, Joint Secretary, DUTA.