UGC’s contract idea: teachers slam it Left, Right

While the Left-dominated Federation of Central University Teachers’ Association (FEDCUTA) and the Delhi University Teachers Association (DUTA) called it ‘‘unconstitutional and irrational,’’ the BJP’s National Democratic Teachers’ Front (NDTF) has called it an ‘‘unnecessary and misguided step’’.

‘‘It does not matter whether the government or the UGC is behind the move, it’s certainly not feasible in our system of higher education. The contractual service will lead to victimisation of teachers. Our universities are not prepared for such a system,’’ said NDTF president N K Kakkar.

His fears were echoed by FEDCUTA president Kamal Mitra Chenoy.

‘‘It will affect the health of the university system. It is a politically motivated move which the UGC could not have taken without consulting or the backing of the (HRD) Minister. It’s the greatest challenge facing the teaching community.’’

He claimed that all teachers’ associations, including the largest 123-university backed All Indian Federation of Teachers Association, will meet the Minister and raise the issue in the winter session of Parliament to stall the move.

While the UGC says that this is meant to ensure that teachers do not get complacent and are under constant review, Chenoy claims that a seven-year-old Harvard University study had faulted the contractual system saying that it led to exodus of talent to non-profit organisations.

‘‘Even they have an eight-year tenure system for professors and not extreme 3-year contractual system that the UGC wants us to adopt,’’ he said.

Angry teachers’ groups say that the UGC should begin with its own employees.

‘‘Why just university teachers, IAS and IPS officers should also opt for contractual service,’’ Chenoy said.

Though he objected to the idea, DUTA president R.S. Dhaiya admitted that contractual service has already ‘‘willy-nilly’’ entered the university system. And claimed that ‘‘our experience shows that it ruins the quality of teaching.’’