DU’s 80% teacher hiring complete; Forum raises EWS quota concerns

NEW DELHI: Forum of Academics for Social Justice on Sunday highlighted that Delhi University (DU) has filled 80% of teaching positions in its affiliated colleges over the past two years, raising a major concern regarding the allocation of reserved seats for Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), and Other Backward Classes (OBC) in light of the expansion of seats under the Economically Weaker Section (EWS) quota.

Five years ago, the EWS quota was introduced at DU, affecting the distribution of seats for both faculty and students. However, the increase in EWS seats has not been accompanied by a proportional increase in reserved seats for SC, ST, and OBC categories.

The Forum has voiced its concern, stating that the EWS seats were created by reducing reserved category seats, and it is crucial to increase SC, ST, and OBC seats accordingly to ensure social justice.

The forum’s chairman, Hansraj Suman, mentioned that 46 colleges have requested an additional 1,891 teaching positions to accommodate the increased number of EWS seats.

If approved, the total number of additional seats could reach 2,500. He further emphasized that without proportional increases in reserved seats, the constitutional reservation process is being undermined.

The forum also urged the Delhi government to expedite the recruitment process for permanent faculty positions in the 12 fully funded colleges under its jurisdiction, where the recruitment process has yet to begin. Suman reiterated the need for swift action to maintain the quality of education and ensure fair representation across all categories.