Teachers-turned-politicians set the example for long leave

Former chief minister Sahib Singh, the chief librarian, attended college from December 3 and 10. Accompanied by reporters, photographers and television crews, his visits to the library created havoc for the students. He applied for three-months leave thereafter. His leave also stands unsanctioned.

After five-year extraordinary leave without pay, former finance minister Prof Jagdish Mukhi has applied for leave for another year. Says section officer S.C. Parashar, “Once the governing body is formed, their leave will be approved on a back-date. Politicians do not face any problem getting their leave approved as they take leave in public interest.”

A Bhagat Singh college student discloses that classes are often suspended as teachers are not interested in taking classes and that they are keen to take non-collegiate classes which bring in more money. Many teachers of Shaheed Bhagat Singh college are also teaching at other universities: Dr Bindra Prassad from the commerce department is teaching in a Bhutanese university, Dr P. Satyanaryan is teaching in the US, Dr Dolly Arora is on lien at another college in the capital.

Additional secretary, UGC, Dr G.G. Dandapat says: “Almost 80 per cent of Delhi administration-run college teaching staff are on leave at any given time. There is nothing anyone can do because of their strong political affiliations.”

The Delhi University Students Union (DUSU) has also taken up the issue of absentee teachers. DUSU has initiated a survey in all 87 colleges in the university to determine the number of absentee teachers. Says DUSU secretary Ritu Verma, “Students are preparing a list of the absentee teachers in their respective colleges. The list will be ready next month. Till date, we have prepared a list of the absentee teachers at Ramjas College who rarely hold classes.”

In certain colleges, authorities refused to divulge the number of teachers who are on long leave. Maharaja Agrasen college principal Dr Ramavtar Sharma told Express Newsline, “We cannot say how many teachers are on leave right now as we do not have a record. When someone asks for leave, I grant it. I have asked teachers to take classes on Sundays to make up for the loss of academic days during the DUTA strike but they don’t listen. I have no power to take them to task.”

Students say most teacher activists rarely come to college. A Rajdhani college student argued that punitive action should be taken against teachers active in the Delhi University Teachers Union (DUTA) who rarely take classes due to their political “duties”. At Deshbandhu college (eve-ning), which holds classes between 2 pm amd 4 pm, there are no teachers in the staff room around 3 pm. A B.A (Pass) class has just been cancelled. A group of students decide to go for a movie instead. Things are a little better in campus colleges. According to the principal of Hindu college, “Ten teachers are on long leave. Many of them are completing their research work. The UGC does not permit more than 10 per cent of the teaching staff to take leave at a particular time and we are well within the permissible limits.”

DU vice-chancellor Prof V.R. Mehta said, “I am well aware that many colleges are not holding regular classes. But what can the authorities do? It is the responsibility of the governing body to look into the daily functioning of a college. In an extreme case, the VC’s office can dis-affiliate a college which will come in for a lot of flak.”