Under new regime, DU promotions in fast lane
Officials confirmed to HT that besides files pertaining to appointments and promotions being cleared, several committees related to teachers welfare and promotion of non-teaching staff have also been set up.
The Delhi University has cleared 800 pending promotions and cleared 37 recruitments at several departments ever since the President suspended vice-chancellor Yogesh Kumar Tyagi on October 28 over “dereliction of duties and lack of commitment” after a bitter spat between two factions led to an unprecedented administrative crisis at the institution.
Officials confirmed to HT that besides files pertaining to appointments and promotions being cleared, several committees related to teachers welfare and promotion of non-teaching staff have also been set up.
According to the October 28 suspension order issued by the Union education ministry, the Centre had pointed out several shortcomings in the functioning of the university under Tyagi’s tenure with pending recruitments being one of the major issues. It pointed out how several key posts including that of the Registrar were being managed with ad-hoc arrangements and posts of teachers and other staff were not being filled despite clear orders and follow ups by the education ministry.
Pro vice-chancellor PC Joshi, who was appointed acting V-C, said, “In the past four years, many things had been stalled and there had been minimal administration. We are trying to clear that backlog, including the ones on promotions. The philosophy of the new administration is that deserving teachers should get a timely promotion. We are working on recruitments as well as complaints against the university officials that had been raised in the previous years. We are addressing all the problems that were pointed out in the President’s order.”
In October, a faction led by Tyagi -- who was on medical leave since July and is due to retire in March -- overrode the recommendations of the executive council (EC), the highest decision making body of the varsity, to first appoint a new registrar and then a new pro V-C. The group led by Joshi had appointed Vikas Gupta as the Registrar, an appointment that was ratified by the EC. For a brief period, the university had two registrars and two pro V-C’s.
The President had nullified all orders, appointments made by Tyagi.
Taking stock of the work done in the past one month, EC member Rajesh Jha said, “In addition to promotions and departmental recruitments, the communication between the new administration and teachers is also better. We recently had an academic council meeting after more than a year. The new administration seems to be in action mode and we can see things moving.”
Jha, however, opposed the formation of a new committee to implement the new education policy, saying it was formed without due discussion.
Enlisting priorities for the new administration, Jha said, “The new administration has to look into several other areas like restarting research and development grant and innovation projects and problems faced in the centralised admission process and online open-book exams.”
Several principals have also acknowledged that works are being expedited under the new administration. Manoj Sinha, general secretary of DU principal’s association, said, “There was no logical reason for promotions to be pending for over a decade in colleges. Things are now moving due to a certain push by the new administration. The process of recruitment has also started. This has caused excitement among stakeholders since things had been stagnant for a long time. The new administration has also looked into the promotions of non-teaching staff, rules for which were revised nearly two years ago but had not been implemented until now.”
A principal at a DU college, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said the administration will have to ensure that promotions are done according to the pace of recruitments. “Though they have been going ahead with the promotions if we don’t carry recruitments at the same pace, the gap between temporary and permanent teachers will widen. While we welcome the promotions, the administration has to communicate with all principals and listen to us. Constitution of governing bodies is pending in so many colleges and that has to be looked at immediately as it affects the ability to make everyday decisions.”
Across colleges, these governing bodies (GB) take all decisions for the smooth functioning of a college, including the appointment of teaching and non-teaching staff.
Reacting to the responses, the acting V-C said that the issue of constituting GBs has been resolved in the past one month. “While it (constitution of GBs) was an issue, we have managed to resolve most of these cases.”
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