Over 4,000 DU non-teaching staff posts lie vacant

 Shortage of non-teaching staff in Delhi University colleges is a matter of concern. Out of 7,000 permanent non-teaching staff posts over 4,000 posts are lying vacant.

And there are around 5,000 non-teaching staff employed on contractual basis. This problem has been persisting from the last few years, which was aggravated with the implementation of the Other Backward Classes (OBC) expansion plan 2007. Under the plan every college of DU increased the number of seats of students by 27 per cent but did not increase the strength for non-teaching staff.

“The student and non-teaching staff were skewed. In a laboratory, if there are 60 students, the non-teaching staff which consists of lab assistants and others should be six. With the OBC expansion, the number of students doubled, but the staff are still the same in number,” said Raj Pal, president of Delhi University and College Karamchari Union (DUCKU).

The non-teaching staff who are on contract basis are divided into two categories. The contract of most of the security guards, cleaners and sweepers  is handled by a private company while the rest come under the university.

“There are employees who have been working since the last 10-12 years on contract basis. They don't get increments. And their salary is almost half of what they would have received as a permanent employee. In DU, there are only 80 permanent security guards. There are 300 posts lying vacant in the Junior assistant-cum-typist category, as well,” said a professor of Sociology at Delhi School of Economics.

Meagre salary
“Under contract basis, salaries are decided without setting any parameters,” said a member of DUCKU.

With such minimal wages, the employees  at the lowest category look for alternative jobs to earn an amount in which they can survive.

According to the union members, the University Grants Commission has granted more sanctioned posts in the non-teaching staff category after the implementation of the OBC expansion plan.
“For colleges with science departments, 25 posts were sanctioned and for non-science colleges 20. But they are still lying vacant,” said Pal.

A senior official of DU said that some of the concerns raised by the union are being looked into.
“The posts have been vacant for many years. We have filled few posts recently. We will be advertising about other vacancies soon. Filling of posts is going on gradually in the university,” the official said.