A male professor’s fight at Delhi University is likely to bear fruit for thousands of female ad hoc teachers as the university is finally “under process” in considering child and maternity leave for them.
The ad hoc teachers working in various colleges so far were not given this facility.
Professor Anupam Kumar had written to Ministry of Human Resource and Development (MHRD) and Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) who have reverted to him by sending the directions to the university. Kumar has received a letter from the varsity acknowledging that the issue was “under process” for seeking “specific clarification”.
“I had written to the MHRD who had written to the university but no action was taken... In October last year, I wrote to the PMO who asked the varsity to look into the grievance. The university has finally written to me and said the matter is under process and for special clarification, it was referred to the UGC,” Kumar told The Pioneer.
He said, these lecturers are deprived of the benefits despite being in continuous service for five to ten years
Kumar had filed a public grievance on October 13, 2015 seeking the “attention of the PMO on the issue Child and Maternity leave of 2,500 female adhoc lectures”.
“I would like to seek your attention on the issue of 2,500 female adhoc lectures of Delhi University and its affiliated colleges on the maternity and child care leave...I am attaching the letter from MHRD directing the DU Vice Chancellor Yogesh Tyagi to take action but he has not taken action for the last nine months,” Kumar’s appeal reads.
Also, Kumar mentioned about BBC Hindi’s survey describing the “mental and physical exploitation” of the adhoc teachers to the PMO.
The university has replied to Kumar who was teaching as the guest faculty of PGDAV Evening and Satyawati evening stating that the matter is under process.
“The Rajya Sabha has recently passed the Maternity Bill and Prime Minister has made reference of the Bill on his Independence Day speech. Quick implementation by DU will certainly help thousands of female adhoc teachers of DU,” asserted Kumar.