Delhi University teachers' union demand pay hike

The Delhi University absorption/regularisation union has asked for increment and other health facilities, provided to ad-hoc teachers of Delhi University, as the Delhi University is in process to adopt University Grants Commission (UGC) guidelines, the policies would allow promotion of about three thousand teachers who have been long waiting for their promotion. The teachers would be entitled to increment. The increment would be calculated after including their work as ad-hoc as well.

However, the union has now raised their objection stating that if the tenure as ad-hoc can be added to calculated to increment, then the ad-hoc must also be entitled to increments and other health facilities.

"Ad-hoc teachers of the University feel that University administration is discriminatory in extending the benefit of the new UGC guidelines to the ad-hoc teachers. We demand that our past ad-hoc services should be counted for the purpose of annual increments like permanent teachers," asked Assistant professor Manoj Kumar in a statement.

The teachers claim that before 2007 the ad-hoc teachers were also provided increment, but after that the increment has been stopped, however 29 teachers are still getting the increment.

"Before 2007, Ad-hoc teachers were provided increment and still their are 29 teachers who get that, the teachers appointed after 2007 are not entitled to increment," added Kumar.

With about 50 percent of teachers in DU still working on ad-hoc basis, their payments are made at entry level pay scale from past several years without any other service benefits.

The teacher claim that since they are equally qualified as a permanent teacher, they must also get equal pay. "We are as qualified as a permanent teacher and share equal duties and responsibilities. It also violates law of 'equal pay for equal work'," added Kumar.