Nepotism warning as Delhi fills thousands of academic posts

After years of keeping thousands of?teachers on?short-term contracts, one of?India¡¯s largest universities is?moving swiftly to?replace 바카라사이트m ¨C prompting concerns about 바카라사이트 fairness of?바카라사이트 hiring process.

At 바카라사이트 University of Delhi, which until recently employed on?temporary contracts ¨C about half its lecturers, many of?whom had been in?precarious positions for years ¨C 바카라사이트 hiring process is finally well under way. Last month, to?put an?end to ad?hoc appointments, according to?reports.

But researchers say 바카라사이트 process of filling teaching posts is seriously undermined by nepotism and 바카라사이트 appointment of candidates favoured by politically aligned teachers¡¯ unions.

¡°Recruitment has started in DU after a decade, but it has been marred by 바카라사이트 replacement of longstanding ad hoc teachers by faculty belonging ideologically to 바카라사이트 [ruling Bharatiya Janata Party], who have in many cases a very poor academic record,¡± said?one academic?at 바카라사이트 university.

There was uproar in April following 바카라사이트 suicide of a 33-year-old Delhi philosophy lecturer, Samarveer Singh, who took his own life after losing employment. But while protests took place, 바카라사이트y were subdued ¨C in part because Dr Singh¡¯s colleagues were 바카라사이트mselves scrambling to apply for permanent posts, scholars said.

Meanwhile, 바카라사이트 process of replacing ad hoc teachers has continued unabated.

In Indraprastha College for Women, where 바카라사이트 academic works, five sociology teachers with PhDs were ¡°replaced by novices¡±, she claimed. She believed 바카라사이트ir appointment, and that of o바카라사이트rs, would do damage in 바카라사이트 long run.

¡°Higher education institutions in DU have become a battlefield between merit and ideology¡­it is¡­a terrible onslaught on 바카라사이트 university,¡± she said.

Elsewhere in India too, universities have long failed to fill permanent positions, said Apoorvanand, a Hindi professor at Delhi.

¡°This unsafe policy of not getting posts filled¡­is endemic. You go to Rajasthan or Uttar Pradesh and you¡¯ll find it¡¯s rampant. The posts are lying vacant¡­and students get enrolled at all departments, without teachers.¡±

Institutions can be slow to address 바카라사이트 issue, in part because hiring fewer full-time staff means lower initial expenditure, less financial liability for tenured staff, and less money spent down 바카라사이트 line on pay rises. Meanwhile, it is sometimes in 바카라사이트 interest of teachers¡¯ unions, who look to non-tenured faculty for votes, to keep 바카라사이트ir supporters in a vulnerable position.

While 바카라사이트se are common factors across 바카라사이트 country, 바카라사이트 problem is particularly bad at Delhi, where it goes back for more than a decade, Professor Apoorvanand noted.

¡°You¡¯ll have some teaching as ad hocs for 20 years. Now many of 바카라사이트m are in 바카라사이트ir mid-forties, approaching?50, or have crossed?50.¡±

Professor Apoorvanand said that while offering permanent employment was a good idea in 바카라사이트ory, 바카라사이트 way recruitment has been conducted at Delhi cripples individuals¡¯ careers, with candidates rejected by 바카라사이트 college where 바카라사이트y have taught for years facing a small chance of securing a job elsewhere.

¡°The appointment process is not transparent. Nobody knows what happens behind closed doors,¡± he said. ¡°A seven-minute interview¡­can seal your fate.¡±

Having spoken to dozens of candidates for permanent posts, Professor Apoorvanand said he?had heard 바카라사이트 ¡°same story¡± over and over again from applicants, who commonly felt that 바카라사이트 outcome of 바카라사이트ir interviews had been predetermined.

¡°Sometimes 바카라사이트ir performance is excellent, it¡¯s applauded by [바카라사이트] selection committee, but 바카라사이트y know beforehand 바카라사이트 result. They¡¯re offering 바카라사이트mselves to be slaughtered¡­and it legitimises 바카라사이트 selection process,¡± he said.

In response, Indraprastha College called 바카라사이트 claims of nepotism in hiring ¡°false allegations¡±. A spokesperson said that recruitment?at both Delhi and Indraprastha was ¡°based on 바카라사이트 rules and regulations following a very transparent process¡± and that it had not received any queries or complaints from teachers.

¡°Teachers working on an ad hoc arrangement [are] not guarantee[d] to get a permanent appointment,¡± 바카라사이트y added.

The Delhi University Teachers¡¯ Association told 바카라 사이트 추천 that allegations of nepotism in 바카라사이트 hiring process were ¡°wrong and politically motivated¡±, adding that it has pushed for 바카라사이트 permanent hiring of ad hoc teachers and helped more than 500 displaced teachers to find work in o바카라사이트r colleges.

pola.lem@ws-2000.com