Future looks grim for faculty on contract

Visakhapatnam: Dr Radha Krishna (name changed), who has been an assistant professor (contractual) at the Department of Sanskrit, Andhra University for more than two decades in the patient hope of being regularised, now finds himself in a bind, following the state government's recent proposal to fill about 1,385 professor vacancies through common recruitment rather than regularising those like himself.

Dr Radha Krishna, 60, who will reach superannuation in the next two years, is now being forced to sit for the examination and be interviewed along with his students. This is the predicament of about 500 contract professors, working at various state universities. A shadow of uncertainty has been cast over their future as nobody knows which vacancy will go to which caste or gender in the roster of reservation. They are now part of the newly formed AP Universities Contract Teachers’ JAC. Its president Dr K. Arjunudu said that they were all recruited by Andhra University officials, adhering to all norms stipulated by the University Grants Commission.

“We are all serving under the 'vacant budget posts' category and regularising us does not turn out to be a burden for the state government as the salaries will continue to be met from the block grant provided to the universities. We request the government to fill the remaining vacancies after taking us into permanent positions,” Dr Arjunudu added. Some educationists were also of the opinion that the common recruitment test would pose a threat to the autonomy of the universities. Government authorities said that they would formulate the modalities of recruitment in the next few days. “All the aspirants have to attend a screening test followed by interviews to bag the assistant professor posts. Giving weightage to the contract professor as per the service they have put in has also come up for discussion. But the authorities have decided to go with a test," a source said.

Dr V. Haribabu, a contract professor at the Department of Political Sciences and Public Administration of Andhra University, explained, "While some of us have crossed the age of 60, some will reach superannuation in the next few months. The 'common recruitment test' is a blatant violation of UGC norms and the reasons for the government going in for the test are only known to them," added Mr Haribabu. Dr M.A.Z. Ali, a contract professor at the Department of Education of AU, said, “All our years of experience and service will now go down the drain. We request the government to recognise our service over the last few decades, which played a crucial role during the staff crunch, and regularise us,” he added.