The hullabaloo over the appointment of Christian teachers in the prestigious St Stephen’s College of Delhi University echoed at the annual lunch for newcomers on Tuesday.
Teachers boycott annual freshers’ lunch to protest pro-tem administrator’s decision to ‘bypass deserving candidates for religion’
NEW DELHI: The hullabaloo over the appointment of Christian teachers in the prestigious St Stephen’s College of Delhi University echoed at the annual lunch for newcomers on Tuesday. Several teachers boycotted the principal’s lunch protesting the appointment of unqualified” teachers.
The spat had been brewing after the college’s pro-tem administrator MS Frank wrote a letter to faculty heads underlining the need to give preference to Christians in the appointment of teachers.
Frank’s contention that more Christian teachers would be in tune with the college’s “Christian character” has not gone down well with a majority of teachers at the elite institution. While the teachers are not averse to having Christians among them, they have reservations at “the way talent is being bypassed to accommodate Christian teachers”.
On Monday, head of the history department Rohit Wanchoo wrote to Frank protesting the appointment of two Christian teachers, saying they were less qualified than the non-Christian candidates who had applied for the positions.
Sources said Wanchoo strongly resented Frank’s decision and said he wished to be relieved from the selection committee.
Frank is undeterred and the few teachers who support him claim the pro-tem administrator is determined to even have a quota for Christian teachers at Stephen’s.
Outraged, all faculty heads have shot off a letter to Frank stating they would not accept ad hoc teachers purely on the basis of religion.
A faculty member said boycotting the special assembly and the freshers’ lunch were signs of a looming rebellion, and that if Frank did not withdraw his decision teachers may paralyse work at the college.
This is a second attempt at increasing Christian presence in the college, after Stephen’s upped the quota for Christian students from 40% to 50% two months ago. While the decision was strongly criticised by most, the bishop of Delhi insisted the cut-off for Christian students should also be just 60%.
y_puneet@dnaindia.net
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