New Delhi: The UGC regulations on minimum qualifications for appointment of teachers and other academic staff in universities and colleges will be amended,  in favor of ad-hoc or temporary or contract teaching staff, the HRD ministry said. The HRD ministry has taken this key decision after its officials conducted a meeting with office-bearers of Delhi University Teachers’ Association (DUTA) to resolve the lockjam on absorption of ad-hoc teachers.

The ministry informed in a statement that after the amendment all the ad-hoc or temporary or contract will get major relief as temporary staff with requisite eligibility, and have taught/have been teaching in the current academic session in the universities/Institutions/colleges would be short-listed for the interview for permanent faculty positions.

Here it can be mentioned that members of Delhi University Teachers’ Association (DUTA) have been protesting against a circular which stops the appointment of the ad-hoc teachers.  The protests have forced the HRD Ministry to have discussions with the teachers association. Meanwhile, the Ministry HRD and UGC held a meeting at Delhi University Vice-Chancellor to discuss the issues regarding the ad-hoc teachers and other matters of the university.

All the ad-hoc teachers who have worked or are working in the current academic year will continue until the beginning of the next academic session or until the recruitment of the permanent faculty, whichever is earlier.

Further, the UGC will be considering the creation of additional teaching positions as per the EWS scheme within 30 days. Keeping in this view, no person working in the ad-hoc position will be removed merely on the ground of failing the EWS roster point. The counting of the past services for the direct recruitment or the promotion under the CAS shall be in accordance with the 2018 UGC Regulation.

As per the HRD Ministry statement that an amendment will be made in the UGC Regulations on Minimum Qualifications for the Appointment of Teachers and Other Academic Staff in Universities and colleges and measures for the maintenance of standards in higher education 2019. The below-mentioned clause will be inserted in clause 4.1 B regarding the direct recruitment of Assistant Professors.

The following changes have been also proposed in the regulations in the Table (3A) and 3 (B) indicating criteria for short-listing candidates for interview for the post of Assistant Professors. The following changes proposed:

Table 3 (A):  the score of Ph.D. shall 20 and the score of teaching or post-doctoral experience shall be 20. Table 3 (B): The score of Ph.D. shall be 15 and the score for teaching or post-doctoral experience shall be 20.

It is also expected that with the above-mentioned changes, all the ad-hoc or temporary or contract teachers with requisite eligibility and have taught or have been teaching in the current academic session in the university institution or college will be short-listed for the interview for the permanent positions.