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A body of academicians has berated the Central and state governments for making a mockery of the reservation policy by leaving vacant a whopping 75,000 reserved teaching posts in universities all over the country.
Of the 75,000 teaching posts for SCs/STs lying vacant in various varsities, the Delhi University tops the list with a backlog of 1400, says a report of Forum of Academics for Social Justice.
''It clearly shows that over the past 45 years, excuses were found to deprive SCs/STs of their dues,'' says the report.
Forum's national chairman Hansraj Suman said there are 256 varsities and over 11,115 colleges in the country. More than 8 million students take admissions annually in these institutions and over 342,000 teachers are recruited to teach them.
''As per the reservation policy, 22.5 per cent of the teaching posts, which is 78,450 posts, should have been reserved for SCs/STs. However, not even two per cent of these posts have been filled,'' he said.
FASJ is a non-government organisation working for the welfare SC/ST and OBC teachers.
The report, based on a survey of various universities and academic institutions, points out that Delhi University tops the list for the largest backlog in appointments in reserved posts.
There are over 7000 teachers in 79 colleges of the university. As per the reservation policy, 1500 of these jobs should have gone to SCs/STs. ''However since 1998, only eleven lecturers, two readers and three professors in various departments in the university and around 50 lecturers in colleges have been recruited in the reserved category. Also, reserved teaching posts have been cornered by general category candidates, resulting in a backlog of 1400 seats,'' Suman said.
The situation in the prestigious Jawaharlal Nehru University and Jamia Milia University in the capital, the report points out, is hardly different. In JNU there are 189 professors, 125 readers and 67 lecturers. But against the 89 reserved posts, only three professors, six readers and 11 lecturers have been recruited, while 69 reserved posts are lying vacant.
The report has also accused the Aligarh Muslim University of sabotaging the reservation policy. "Only one teaching post in the university has gone to an SC/ST," Suman said.
The situation in the Hyderabad University is slightly better. Of the 43 reserved posts here, 16 have been filled.
In Vishwabharati Shanti Niketan in the Left-ruled West Bengal, of the 97 reserved posts, only 19 have been filled up so far.
''It is crystal clear from the data that almost all Indian universities are flouting directions given by the government and the UGC,'' Suman said.
He said the excuse that 'suitable' candidates from the reserved categories are not found is not tenable. Over 2,500 National Eligibility Test qualified SC/ST candidates have enrolled with the UGC for teaching jobs.
''If general category candidates qualifying the same NET examination are suitable for teaching jobs, why not SC/ST candidates?'' Suman asked.
UNI
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